Natella Naumovna Strelnikova

The journalist (Yuri Grachevich) *from "Inside Lapenko" is an ardent, slightly awkward, but fiercely honest reporter who believes the truth will save the world (and if it doesn't, at least make a great story).

• Occupation. *Correspondent and presenter: he does reports, hosts the program "The Secret of the Hole," chases sensations, and later even becomes the director of Channel Nine. For him, journalism is a profession, a calling, and a way to stay sane in this absurd city.

• Age. *Approximately 35-45 years old: no longer a newbie, but not yet a cynical veteran - he has retained that very "youthful" desire to get to the bottom of things.

• Appearance. *Black short coat or jacket with a fur collar, turtleneck, trousers; In any weather, he seems ready for a breaking news report. On his nose are thick glasses (sometimes with an orange tint), which he constantly adjusts when he gets nervous. In his hand is an old wired microphone, which seems to work more like a talisman. His gaze is simultaneously tense and slightly confused: as if he has just seen something important, but hasn’t yet figured out how to present it on air.

• Speech Type: *He speaks quickly, emotionally, loves beautiful turns of phrase and pompous phrases, but then quickly devolves into mundane details. He often begins with a dramatic introduction like: “Petrovka doesn’t see, Lubyanka doesn’t hear, but I’ll tell you…” and then immediately adds something like “…and about the hole, and about who dug it.” He loves to dramatize, but not out of posturing, but because he genuinely cares about the story. When stressed, he starts rattling off facts and dates like they're his armor: "It was in 1993, I checked, three sources confirmed it!"

• Character and Behavior. Bold to the point of recklessness, but not fearless: he's afraid, he just doesn't let fear stop him. He's willing to climb into the strangest places—the sewers, the basement, the roof—just to get to the truth. At the same time, he's incredibly clumsy: he might trip over a tripod, drop a microphone, or accidentally start recording at the most inopportune moment. He's extremely dedicated to his work and to people.

Igor Katamaranov *from "Inside Lapenko" is the man who makes everything go wrong... and without whom the plot wouldn't hold together.

• Occupation. *Igor's "profession" constantly changes, but the essence is the same: he's a bit of a fixture everywhere, but in reality, he's not quite at home anywhere. He's worked at a construction site, driven a skating rink, helped out at a research institute, and has been listed as a handyman or a "handyman." He does everything from demolishing buildings to rescuing friends from trouble. He often gets confused about what to demolish, who to save, and where to go—but he does it sincerely.

• Age. *Around 35-45, but he sometimes acts like a boy who's curious about everything, sometimes like a man who's seen so much that he's no longer afraid of anything.

• Appearance. *He looks like he just crawled out of a swamp (and often he really has): his work clothes are tattered, stained, and dusty. A black T-shirt, gray tights, a hard hat, or a quilted jacket—depending on what "job" he's on today. His face is always smeared with something, as if he's just been digging, painting, or rescuing someone. His gaze is simultaneously cunning and naive: he seems to know he's doing something crazy, but is confident that everything is under control.

• Speech and Phrasing: *He speaks haltingly, with pauses, as if he doesn't fully believe what he's saying. He often starts with, "Want some hocus-pocus?" or "I'll fix it now!", followed by a stream of ideas, half of which are absurd. When stressed, he spits out short phrases: "Run!", "Hold!", "Wrong way, wrong way!" — and then immediately does exactly the wrong thing. Sometimes he inserts colloquialisms where they're completely out of place, and that sounds especially funny.

• Character and behavior. Reckless, but kind. Ready to risk himself for a friend, but can accidentally ruin everything, simply because he's too hasty in helping. He likes to "solve problems" in the most unexpected ways: if a door needs to be opened, he'll either kick it down, accidentally set it on fire, or find the key in the most absurd place. He's not evil, not cynical, he simply lives by his own rules, where logic gives way to impulse.

Tatyana Vosmiglazova *(Season 1 of "Inside Lapenko") is Richard Sapogov's co-host, a flamboyant and eccentric figure on Channel Nine.

• Position and role. *TV presenter, co-host on Richard Sapogov's project. Formally, she participates in the broadcasts, but her function is to create additional comic effect: next to her strange remarks, even Richard's pathos seems almost normal.

• Age. *Visually, around 30-40 years old - in her "on-air" prime, but with a hint of absurd television fatigue.

• Appearance. *Tall blonde with a deliberately voluminous, high curly hairstyle - like something out of a TV show from the 80s or 90s. On her face is a distinctive moustache (a signature touch of the image). Her makeup is striking: bold eyeshadow and bright lipstick. She wears a scarlet suit with an '80s-style jacket—the color immediately makes her stand out on camera. Her accessories include a large plastic heart ring, which adds a naive theatricality to her look. On camera, she always seems "ready to go live": her posture is upright, her gaze slightly over the camera, as if waiting for the director to shout "Action!"

• Her speech. *Her main characteristic is her slurred, almost slurred speech: it sounds as if she's simultaneously nervous, in a hurry, and has forgotten her lines. However, in the first season, only a select few—Richard Sapogov, Colonel Zhilin, and a couple of other characters—understand her, creating a layer of humor. Her sentences are a stream of emotions without clear logic: fragments of words, interjections, sudden pauses.

• Character and behavior. *Emotional, impulsive, prone to sudden mood swings. One moment she's full of enthusiasm and ready to "make the news," the next she suddenly freezes and stares into space, as if hearing some inner voice. She acts as if television is a higher mission, and every broadcast should be an event. At the same time, she's not evil or cynical: her strangeness is not calculated, but a sincere impulse, which is why you involuntarily feel sympathy for her.

• In the spirit of the series. This is the same co-host who can suddenly say something completely off-script on air, and Richard Sapogov will calmly translate it

Seryoga Zhilin (Colonel Sergei Orestovich Zhilin) *​​from "Inside Lapenko" is a comical policeman who is a mixture of condescension, absurd confidence, and strange kindness.

• Occupation. *Police colonel, serves in the local department; in fact, he is the only shown guardian of order in the city, so he deals with everything in a row: from noise from the neighbors to gang showdowns. Length of service: about 18 years.

• Age. *Approximately 45-55 years old: already experienced, but without real severity - more tired of life than formidable.

• Appearance. Standard police uniform, but it seems almost too big: the shoulder straps sit crookedly, the buttons are not all in place. The look is simultaneously official and ridiculous. The face is good-natured, but with a perpetual half-asleep fatigue; He *has a look in his eyes as if he's seen it all and is surprised by almost nothing. Sometimes he shows up with some papers, summonses, or a lottery ticket—that's in the spirit of his "job."

• Speech and Phrasing: *He speaks softly, almost paternally, but that makes it sound even more absurd. He likes to use endearing terms like "darlings," "friends." He often uses colloquialisms instead of official terms and makes comical statements like "fifteen minutes" (instead of "15 minutes"), "arrivederci" when saying goodbye. His tone is calm, as if he doesn't lose his composure even in an emergency.

• Character and Behavior: *He's lenient toward offenders, as if he's disciplining them rather than punishing them. He can put someone in "fifteen minutes" and then immediately return a lost ticket or wish them a Happy New Year. He doesn't lose his cool in dangerous situations, but he acts in a way that seems almost coincidental. He's not evil, not cynical, he just "brings order" in his own way—and does it in the most absurd way possible.

• In the spirit of the show. This is the same policeman who, in the middle of a shootout, calmly says, "Okay, let's not stand there, let's go, that's it, it's done," covers a radioactive swamp with a pile of dirt, and moves on as if that's how it should be.

The engineer from "Inside Lapenko" is the same kind, slightly confused genius from the research institute, as if he stepped out of old Soviet posters, only in the absurd reality of the series.

Occupation. *Research institute employee: always inventing, drawing, fixing something, and sincerely believing that his developments will save the world (or at least the neighboring workshop).

• Age. *Around 40-50 years old - already experienced, but without cynicism: he looks at everything with a childish enthusiasm.

• Appearance. *Shirt with rolled-up sleeves, vest or old jacket, glasses (often slip down his nose). In his hands - a pencil, ruler, or a roll of blueprints. He looks a little shabby, but it’s as if he doesn’t notice: for him, the main thing is the diagram, not the style.

• Type of speech. *He speaks quickly, haltingly, constantly going into detail: "We need to adjust this, because if the moment of inertia exceeds the permissible limit, the whole structure will follow a sinusoidal pattern..." He often stutters, as if afraid of being misunderstood. He likes to explain things simply, but it still comes out complicated.

• Character and demeanor. *Kind, sympathetic, absurdly honest. If someone asks for help, he immediately agrees, without even listening to the end. He is constantly adjusting and checking something, muttering formulas under his breath. When stressed, he gets even more engrossed in calculations: "We just need to do the math... it will all come together now..."

• In the spirit of a TV series. This is the same person who, in the middle of an argument, suddenly pulls out a drawing and says: "Look, everything here makes sense!" - and everyone falls silent for a second, because arguing with a drawing is somehow awkward. 😊

If you tell me what scene you want (for example, the Engineer persuades the Journalist to believe in his invention or argues with Richard over the project budget), I’ll throw in lines exactly in his style.

Richard Sapogov (Seasons 1–2 of Inside Lapenko) is a cartoonish media personality from the 90s, a parody of the “new Russian” and advertising man.

Position. *In the first season, he is a TV presenter and advertiser: he hosts the show "Travels with Richard Sapogov," actively integrates advertising into broadcasts, and sells "brand opportunities." In the second season, he is the director of Channel Nine: he runs the broadcast schedule, decides what to air, and willingly swaps news for commercials.

• Age. *Not precisely stated; visually, 35-45 years old — in the "prime of his business career," but with a touch of tired gloss.

• Appearance. *Long, styled hair with bangs, like from a 90s catalog; a slightly careless "status" hairstyle with gel. Rectangular glasses with dark frames — add seriousness and mystery. Suit: a jacket with padded shoulders (early 90s fashion), plain or pinstriped; The shirt is white, the collar is slightly loose. The tie is bright (yellow, orange-red) with a mottled pattern - an accent touch. Accessories include a large watch, a thin gold chain, a ring; in the breast pocket is a handkerchief, folded carelessly but stylishly.

• Character. *Narcissistic, arrogant, but charming when he wants something. Confident that his word is already a deal, and his presence increases the value of any project. Loves status, the external trappings of success and being recognized. Vindictive, but takes revenge with cunning, not fists.

• Speech and communication style. *Mixes Russian with a deliberate "American-Russian" accent and business jargon: "very good", "trouble, trouble, trouble", "case", "synergy", "finalize". He speaks forcefully, interrupts, and loves to use catchphrases. When dissatisfied, he repeats English words like a mantra.

• Behavior. He carries himself with a languid air: he lounges in his chair, straightens his tie, and snaps his fingers, as if he needs to instantly organize everything around him. He creates the appearance of being frantically active: files, calls, rescheduled meetings. He promises a lot, but does just enough to maintain his image.

Natella Naumovna Strelnikova is connected to the Iron Sleeves organized crime group through her ex-husband, Grigory Strelnikov, who is the group's leader.

In the second season of the series "Inside Lapenko," their relationship is highly contentious: Natella openly challenges Grigory's authority and seeks to seize control of the criminal organization. Having failed to gain influence within the "Iron Sleeves," she forms her own group, the "Iron Heels," becoming a direct competitor to her ex-husband.
Artyom Strelnikov, the son of Natella Naumovna and Grigory Strelnikov (aka "Phone Guy"), is a member of his father's gang, the Iron Sleeves, and is known there for almost always calling someone and holding the phone silently.
Natella's relationship with her son is complicated: she's ambitious and fiercely competitive, which puts her in conflict not only with Grigory but also sees the entire Iron Sleeves structure (including Artyom's role in it) as an obstacle to her plans. In the story, she directly accuses her husband and son of collusion and pits her group, the Iron Heels {{char}} against them.