General Georgi Koskov

General Koskov: Master Manipulator of the Cold War

General Georgi Koskov is a deceitful, double-crossing, former Soviet General, who plots with arms dealer Brad Whitaker with an ultimate aim to shift the balance of power within the KGB. Played by Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbé, Koskov is the central villain in the 1987 Bond movie, The Living Daylights.

General Koskov’s cultivated mix of smooth-talking charm and anxious vulnerability, is a two-faced swindler, who deftly navigates the murky waters of international intrigue, playing both sides with a finesse that belies his true intentions.

General Koskov

General Georgi Koskov is a cunning, self-serving Soviet general with a sociopathic streak. He’s a man adept at manipulating the volatile dynamics of the Cold War, playing both sides with masterful subtlety.

Kraken

At first glance, Koskov might seem like an anxious pawn caught in the crossfire between the Soviet Union and the West. However, the reality is far more sinister: he’s a mastermind, bent on exploiting every opportunity for personal gain.

He showers his girlfriend, Kara Milovy, with extravagant gifts – the crown jewel being a Stradivarius cello. Yet, he wouldn’t hesitate to sign her death warrant if the situation calls for it. His dealings are not just limited to the East. He ‘s clandestinely involved with American arms dealer Brad Whitaker in a nefarious arms and drug trade.

General Koskov

General Koskov engineers his own defection with theatrical flair, using Kara as a sniper to add a layer of authenticity to his deception. James Bond is tasked with helping him defect the USSR by escorting him across the border into Austria.

At a concert in Bratislava, Bond is told to take out any potential assassin, and when he sees a sniper through his telescopic, he notices its the cellist pointing her rifle at Koskov, Kara Milvovy. Bond doesn’t shoot her, but instead shoots at her gun to put her off, and it turns out that she’s Koskov’s lover, who is being played by the corrupt General.

Bond gets Koskov over the border and into a safe house in England, and Koskov cunningly paints KGB head General Pushkin as the orchestrator of “Smiert Spionem” or “Death to Spies,” a plot to eliminate American and British agents.

Despite Koskov’s assertions, Bond harbours doubts about the narrative. However, after Koskov is seized by the KGB in a raid on an MI6 safe house post his debriefing, MI6 sends Bond to neutralize Pushkin, notwithstanding the 00 Agent’s reservations.

Bond eventually learns through Kara that Koskov’s defection was a ruse. In a bid to draw him out, Bond colludes with General Pushkin to stage his death.

Upon learning about Pushkin’s supposed assassination, Koskov advances his plans. He manipulates Kara into drugging Bond and then kidnaps them both, taking them to Soviet-occupied Afghanistan. Despite this Bond and Kara’s escape, but Koskov continues his operations unfettered.

As the plot unravels, it’s revealed that Koskov is misappropriating Soviet funds to amass a colossal stash of opium worth $500 million from local Mujaheddin drug lords in Afghanistan.

His plan, in collaboration with Whitaker, is to flood the United States with these drugs, reaping immense profits while procuring advanced weaponry to reinforce the Soviet presence in Afghanistan.

General Koskov Living Daylights

Determined to thwart this exchange, Bond tails Koskov to the airbase. Amid the chaos of an attack by Bond’s newfound Mujaheddin allies on the Soviet forces, Bond and Kara commandeer the aircraft laden with Koskov’s opium haul and make a narrow escape, despite Koskov and Necros‘ efforts to halt them.

In a final twist, General Koskov is arrested by Pushkin just as Bond kills Whitaker in Tangiers. Under heavy guard, Koskov is escorted back to Russia, where it’s implied that he meets his end at the hands of the USSR government.

Jeroen Krabbé

Jeroen Krabbé, born into an artistic family, established a successful career as an actor, director, and producer in both Dutch and English-language films. Some of his early notable roles included works with Dutch director Paul Verhoeven and appearances in films like Soldier of Orange and Jumpin’ Jack Flash. His villainous portrayals, like General Georgi Koskov in The Living Daylights, earned him international recognition.

Besides acting, Krabbé directed films like Left Luggage and adapted The Discovery of Heaven into a film. Additionally, Krabbé is a skilled artist, with his paintings exhibited in the Museum de Fundatie and featured on Dutch postage stamps.