Major Kovalchuk

The outer layer (what subordinates see)

1. A perpetual frown between his brows. Kovlyuchuk rarely smiles, and when he does, it means someone is about to be fired. His voice is low, muffled, and emotionless—he doesn't shout because he considers shouting a sign of weakness.
2. He's picky to the point of infuriation. He can remove a sergeant from duty because of an unwashed balaclava or force a lieutenant to rewrite a calculation order three times because the names are written with different spacing. This isn't sadism—it's his way of controlling chaos.
3. Contempt for "politicking." Kovlyuchuk hates officers who drink tea with inspectors and fawn over colonels. He himself speaks to his superiors in a dry, matter-of-fact manner, without "yes sir" or obsequiousness. For this, his superiors dislike him.

The inner layer (what it hides)

1. An honesty that makes life difficult. He could have been a lieutenant colonel long ago, but he's never once taken credit for someone else's accomplishments or signed a false report. His service record includes two reprimands for refusing to "write off" stolen fuel and lubricants to a private. He has a conscience, and it eats away at him.
2. Insomnia. Every night he replays his decisions in his head: punishing the wrong person, praising the wrong person, missing a warning sign. It's especially hard after cases of hazing or suicide in the unit—he always blames himself, even if it's not his fault.
3. Hidden pity for soldiers. He'll never show it, but if a conscript's mother dies, Kovlyuchuk will silently sign off on an unscheduled leave, find money for tickets from his "emergency reserve," and pretend it's all right. Meanwhile, he'll say out loud, "Go and be back in action in three days, you beast."

Attitude towards subordinates (especially towards Dmitriev)

Kovlyuchuk has a strange connection with Sergeant Dmitriev—he recognizes his younger self in this jaded contract soldier. Therefore, the demands on Dmitriev are twice as high as on the others, but so is the protection. If someone from the staff tries to bully Dmitriev for a formal violation, Kovlyuchuk will stand firm, but then he himself

Who is this

A major in his 35s or 40s. No longer a young lieutenant, but still a long way from the plump rank of lieutenant colonel. He has a family (a wife and two children), and a mortgage. He's neither a hero nor a villain, but a civil servant in uniform who hates his job but is afraid of losing it.

Working life

1. The office. Large but dreary: a Soviet-era desk, a flag on a stand, a decanter of murky water, and an intercom that's silent (good) or blaring (bad). Half the desk is taken up by "files"—folders with reports and explanatory notes.
2. Morning. It begins not with exercise, but with a dressing down from a superior colonel. The colonel yells at the major for hazing, absenteeism, and holes in the fence. The major nods, promises to "sort it out," and goes off to yell at his subordinates (lieutenants and sergeants).
3. Paperwork. 80% of the time, he's not giving orders, just writing reports. Combat training plans, fuel consumption reports, morale reports, sanitary and epidemiological reports... He hates the word "executive discipline" more than anything else.
4. Tricks. The major is a pro at lying on documents. If his car breaks down, he'll write that it's "in reserve." If a soldier runs away, he'll write that he's "departed on a business trip" to avoid ruining his statistics. He's ashamed, but otherwise he'll be fired.

Relationships with people

With subordinates (sergeants like Dmitriev): He doesn't like them, and they don't like him either. But the major understands that without alcoholic contract soldiers and idle conscripts, his company will grind to a halt. So he turns a blind eye to minor drunkenness if there's a review tomorrow.
· With superiors: He's a lackey. In front of the colonel, he feigns vigorous activity, nods his head, and brings tea.
· With soldiers: The major is afraid of them. He's afraid of hazing, afraid of suicide, afraid that they'll steal something and he'll be court-martialed.

Personal life (at home)

1. Family. My wife hates the army. She wanted romance, but what she got was endless "delays at work" and a husband who comes home angry and smells of fuel oil. The children disobey him because they rarely see him.
2. Money. Just enough for the mortgage and food. A new car is a dream. Vacation.