Victor Drazen | |
---|---|
Born: | 6 February 1947 Požarevac, Serbia |
Nationality: | Serbian |
Residence(s): | Belgrade, Serbia |
Education: | Covert actions training, KGB M.S. Engineering, University of Belgrade |
Affiliation: | Drazen family Black Dogs Serbian National Liberation Front Kosovo/1389 Serbian Army |
Rank: | Deputy Director of Intelligence, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Military Command Commander, Serbian Army Special Operations Unit |
Marital status: | Widower |
Spouse(s): | Elena Drazen (wife) |
Children: | Alexis Drazen (son) Andre Drazen (son) Martina Drazen (daughter) |
Death cause: | Shot by Jack Bauer |
Died: | Day 1: 11:24pm |
Status: | Deceased |
Played by: | Dennis Hopper |
Stunt double: | J.P. Romano |
Season(s): | 1 |
First episode: | "Day 1: 7:00pm-8:00pm" |
Last episode: | "Day 1: 11:00pm-12:00am" |
- "You were a monster long before you ever heard of me."
- — Jack Bauer, "Day 1: 8:00pm-9:00pm"
Victor Drazen (Serbian: Вицтор Дразен) was a Serbian military leader who carried out several ethnic cleansing campaigns and purges throughout Kosovo under Slobodan Milošević, war crimes that earned him the moniker "The Butcher of Belgrade." Although he was allegedly killed in a mission led by Delta Force operator Jack Bauer, he was covertly imprisoned by unknown elements in the United States and held in total secrecy for two years.
During the events of Day 1, the two-year anniversary of his alleged death, Drazen and his sons led a personal vendetta against Bauer and Senator David Palmer, who authorized the mission. They wished to seek revenge for the murder of Drazen's wife and daughter, who were killed in Operation Nightfall. When Jack, through an elaborate and flawed deception arranged by the Drazen family, believed that his daughter was killed, he killed both Andre and Victor in a fit of rage.
Biography[]
Early life and career[]
Victor Drazen was born on February 6, 1947 in Požarevac, Serbia. He graduated from the University of Belgrade with a Master of Science degree in Engineering, and received covert actions and anti-espionage training from the Soviet Union's KGB. In the Serbian Army, he rose to the rank of Commander in the Special Operations division, and also participated in the Serbian National Liberation Front and Kosovo/1389, nationalist groups that were eventually banned. Drazen also served as Deputy Director of Intelligence in the Yugoslav Military Command. (Findings at CTU)
Drazen married Elena Drazen, and the couple had two sons, Andre (born 10 June 1967) and Alexis (born 24 January 1967), and a daughter, Martina (born 23 April 1974). ("Day 1: 3:00pm-4:00pm")
- The dates of birth given for Andre and Alexis in "Day 1: 3:00pm-4:00pm" are too close together for both of them to be Elena's sons, and contradict Andre being older.
As the commander of the Black Dogs secret police organization under Slobodan Milošević, Drazen led several campaigns of terror and ethnic cleansing against the people of Kosovo, Bosnia, and Macedonia. The Kosovo Verification Mission documented many of Drazen's atrocities, including instances of forced expulsion, looting, mass execution, and rape, generally against ethnic and religious minorities of Yugoslavia. According to GSG-9, Drazen also built a significant criminal enterprise, employing former KGB operatives, bribing FSB and SVR officials, and negotiating deals with terrorist groups around world, including some anti-government militia groups in the United States. His network included the Libyan ambassador to Yugoslavia and suspected terrorist Rene Bonniere. ("Day 1: 2:00pm-3:00pm", Findings at CTU)
Downfall[]
Two years before the events of Day 1, Drazen was targeted for assassination by the United States government, due to both his humanitarian transgressions and the threat he posed to the fragile peace in Bosnia. The operation, code-named Nightfall, was authorized by Senator David Palmer, and coordinated by NSA operative Robert Ellis. Jack Bauer, previously a captain in the United States Army's Delta Force, was reactivated and assigned to lead a small team into Kosovo to eliminate Drazen at his secure compound. ("Day 1: 2:00pm-3:00pm", "Day 1: 7:00pm-8:00pm", "Day 3: 5:00am-6:00am")
Drazen had foreknowledge of the attack after his men discovered the body of Delta operative Dave Evans, who was killed by a land mine upon infiltration. Believing the dead man to be the advance of a NATO strike force, he redoubled his personal security and ordered his son Andre to find out what he could about the man's identity. Later in the morning, Drazen kept a scheduled conference with the Libyan ambassador, one of his criminal associates, and attempted to negotiate an asylum for President Milošević in the event that the regime was toppled.
As his troops repeatedly failed to intercept the Delta unit, Drazen grew ever more paranoid, at one point ordering Lieutenant Crnjanski to execute his superior, Colonel Milankovic, after the colonel was defeated in a firefight with the Americans. Bauer and his men tracked someone they believed to be Drazen to a heavily guarded facility, and Jack set off a bomb which destroyed the bunker he was in. Drazen survived the attack, but was kidnapped by a separate mission set up by CIA Deputy Director Tony Webster, and brought to the United States with the world believing he was dead. Drazen's wife and daughter were both killed in the attack. (Nightfall)
Imprisonment[]
Due to his knowledge of terrorist and criminal operations around the world, Drazen was considered an extremely high-value asset, and was remanded to the Department of Defense's top-secret Mobile Underground Detention and Detainment prison network. For two years, his identity classified, Drazen was transported between facilities on a random schedule. Through means unknown, he made contact with his sons Andre and Alexis, who had uncovered details of Operation Nightfall from a mole inside the U.S. intelligence apparatus, and plotted to take revenge against both Jack Bauer and Senator David Palmer, who originally authorized the mission. The operation was scheduled for the two-year anniversary of Nightfall, also the California Presidential Primary, when both Bauer and Palmer would be in Los Angeles. ("Day 1: 7:00pm-8:00pm", Findings at CTU)
Day 1[]
Jailbreak[]
At approximately 7:20pm on Day 1, Victor was scheduled to be brought to a Class-3 detention center in Saugus, California. Andre Drazen and Harris, a mercenary, planned to break Victor out of the prison, but Jack Bauer had already arrived at the facility. He kept Mark DeSalvo, the warden of the prison, aware of the situation and informed him that Alexis Drazen hired someone to cut the power off to the facility at 7:20pm. With the power still on and extra security added, Andre and Harris decided to hold back on their assault.
Bauer asked to speak with the prisoner, but DeSalvo couldn't grant him access, as he didn't even have access to the prisoner's identity. DeSalvo agreed to make some calls and Bauer came across the surveillance footage of Drazen's prison cell. Bauer was shocked when he learned that Victor Drazen was the prisoner and due to the circumstances, DeSalvo allowed Jack to have five minutes with the prisoner. Jack began his interrogation on Drazen, but Victor remained silent. After Jack demanded for Drazen to leave his family alone, he advised Drazen to save his sons while he still could. Drazen became furious and claimed that his "sons were soldiers." Andre and his team prepared to destroy the prison's power transformer, in order to continue with the raid. DeSalvo was convinced that he could trust Jack and he allowed him to move the prisoner. ("7:00pm-8:00pm")
At approximately 7:59pm, the power to the facility was cut off and Jack slammed Victor against the wall. Andre and his team became to walk down the corridor, and Victor menacingly warned Jack that they were coming for him. DeSalvo and his men advanced through the building with Drazen, but one of the walls exploded. Several minutes later, gunfire began to siren and Jack grabbed Victor, and took him hostage. Andre retaliated by taking DeSalvo hostage and he threatened to kill him if Jack didn't capitulate to his demands and release his father. DeSalvo advised Jack to not give in, but Jack surrendered and dropped his firearm. Andre then shot and killed DeSalvo, before he reunited with his father.
Victor spoke Serbian to his son and he then took a firearm, while his men blew up part of the facility. Jack told Drazen that they were now trapped, but Victor was convinced that they would be able to find a way out. The Drazens were able to get in touch with George Mason, the head of CTU Los Angeles. They informed Mason that they had Jack and gave him a deadline to call back. Jack realized that Victor used a body double during the assassination and he told Victor that he was the one to blame for his family's death. Victor was distracted and Jack was able to assault him, and made an attempt to free himself. Andre rushed over and took control of the situation. He began to rapidly kick Jack in the chest, but he made sure he didn't kill him.
Before 9pm, Drazen and his team emerged from the sewer at the prison facility. Victor prepared to shoot and kill Jack, but Jack offered him an ultimatum. Jack told Victor that he wouldn't kill him if he ever wanted to see Alexis again. Victor claimed that his son was dead, but Jack claimed that Alexis was in CTU custody. He confirmed this when he revealed Alexis' meeting with Elizabeth Nash earlier in the day. Andre confirmed that the meeting took place and Victor spared Jack. Meanwhile, Drazen's men successfully kidnapped Kim Bauer, Jack's daughter, who was being transported back to CTU by LAPD Officer Krugman. ("8:00pm-9:00pm")
Final assassination attempt[]
En route to the Port of Los Angeles, Drazen visit his old friend, Nikola Luminović. Nikola confirmed with Drazen that all of the plans were set, and he then introduced his daughter, Mila, to Victor. Victor and Nikola sat down and had a feast, while they reminisced about old times. Victor offered Jack food, but Jack declined the offer. Drazen and Nikola discussed costs of transportation out of the country, while Mila catered for them. While Mila walked away from the table, Jack assaulted a guard and he grabbed the knife on Mila's plate. He took her hostage and threatened to kill her. Victor's men pointed their weapons at Jack, who demanded for them to stand-down. They put down their weapons, but Victor still held his up. Victor shot and killed Mila, and his men then restrained Jack.
Andre entered the room and told his men to keep Nikola away from Mila. He was then told to call CTU by his father. Andre called Mason, who decided to go forward with the exchange, against the orders of Ryan Chappelle. Andre told Mason the exchange would happen at 2127 Grand Avenue, a parking garage, in a half hour. Once Drazen's men had Alexis, Andre would show Bauer to Mason. Nikola was devastated over the loss of his daughter and Victor tried to comfort him. He consoled to him that he has lost his daughter and wife, and Nikola accused Victor of being the one to murder Mila. Victor then shot and killed Nikola, and Jack looked upset over what had happened. Kim was then brought in the room, bound and restrained.
Jack pleaded for Kim to be released in the Drazen's van. He told Andre and Victor that they had a shot to get out of the country with Alexis and the killings of innocent people would make it harder. Andre felt that Jack and Kim should be killed at the exact moment and he told Jack to be quiet. The van pulled over to an oil rig and Jack was handcuffed to a post. Andre told him that he would be set free once Alexis was in their custody. A scrambled cellular phone was then placed in Jack's pocket. After Alexis was placed in Harris' custody, he swept him for trackers. He discovered a tracker and destroyed it. Jack was then released and was told that if he wanted to see Kim, that he would get in a parked car and drive towards Century City. ("9:00pm-10:00pm")
Jack was given instructions to go to Palmer's hotel and pass over the scrambled phone, in order for the Drazens to speak with him. They wanted $200 million of their assets, as they were frozen when Victor was captured. After Victor and Andre arrived at the dock in the Port of Los Angeles, Alexis began to suffer from internal bleeding. Though the doctor did his best to save him, Alexis succumbed to his wounds and died. Victor mourned his son and began to feel the pain of his wife and daughter's loss. Andre, devastated by his brother's death, pulled out his handgun and approached Kim. He claimed that he wanted to hear Jack's screams as he killed her. Victor reminded Andre they still needed her alive in order to get both Palmer and Bauer. Victor successfully convinced Andre to put down his firearm.
At approximately 10:30pm, Jack was able to convince Senator Palmer to take Drazen's call. The scrambled phone rang and Palmer answered it. Drazen greeted Palmer and he then pressed a red button. Palmer made several attempts to talk to Victor, but he received no response. Jack overheard the timer from the bomb and he realized that the phone was a bomb. He threw the bomb out of the window and took cover on the floor with Palmer. Kim heard the explosion and she feared that her father had been killed. When the media confirmed that Palmer was assassinated, Victor and Andre held a celebration. Andre wanted to take care of Kim, but Victor insisted that they may still need her, as Jack may have survived the explosion.
Final hours[]
Andre called Jack and learned that he had survived the explosion. Jack offered to turn himself over in exchange for his daughter's freedom. The Drazens accepted his terms and revealed their location. Victor was convinced that Jack would involve his friends and colleagues from CTU. Andre assured him that they didn't need to worry about that, as he had a mole placed inside CTU. Around 10 minutes later, Kim assaulted her guard with a pot of coffee and escaped to the docks. The Drazens and their men ran after her, but she dove into the water in order to escape. Andre and Victor were convinced that she drowned and they didn't know how they would be able to go forward with the trade. They then got a call from Yelena, Andre's contact inside CTU. She revealed that Palmer was still alive and the story about him being killed was leaked in order for Kim to be kept alive. ("10:00pm-11:00pm")
Kim was able to get into contact with Highway Patrol and she was set to be brought back to CTU. Yelena, who's real identity was Nina Myers, learned about this and she contacted the Drazens. Andre and Victor were convinced that Jack wouldn't turn himself over once he learned that Kim was alive. Victor demanded for Yelena to tell Jack that his daughter was killed, as he felt that Jack would come after him and Andre in a fit of rage. Andre didn't favor the idea, but Victor assured him that Jack would be too crushed to possess a threat against them. Andre and Victor then began to pack up and leave for international waters, when Jack crashed a van through the warehouse and began shooting down the commandos. During the firefight that broke out between Bauer and the Drazens' men, Andre and Victor fled to the docks.
Bauer killed all of Victor's men and continued to pursue them. The Drazens attempted to reach their escape boat but were forced to return fire when Jack spotted them. Though Jack was hit, he was able to get within a closer range to the Drazens and he killed Andre. Victor succeeded in wounding Jack in the thigh, but this was his last bullet. Jack then got up from the ground and, after a moment of hesitation, shot Victor, knocking him into the water. Even as Victor dropped into the water, Jack continued to fire, squeezing the trigger several times after his magazine ran out of ammunition. Jack, still unaware that Kim was really alive, hit Victor with exactly twelve bullets. ("11:00pm-12:00am")
Memorable quotes[]
- Jack Bauer: Your fight is with me. Not my wife, not my daughter, but with me. Please... leave my family alone. Mr. Drazen, you have already lost your wife and your daughter. You don't need to lose your sons too.
- Victor Drazen: My sons are soldiers.
- Jack Bauer: Then they will die for nothing! We know about the rescue plan. It was scheduled for 7:20. We stopped it. We've called in for backup. If they try again, sir, they will die.
- Victor Drazen: Then you have nothing to worry about. ("Day 1: 7:00pm-8:00pm")
- Nina Myers: You'll have to kill him, no mistakes. If he finds out I lied to him, my cover will be blown.
- Victor Drazen: Of course we will kill him, that is the point. ("Day 1: 11:00pm-12:00am")
- Victor Drazen: If the enemy you oppose outnumbers you, strike terror into their hearts and they will retreat. (as quoted by Jack Bauer in 24 Declassified: Trojan Horse)
Background information and notes[]
- In the Indian version of 24, Victor Drazen's counterpart is Ravindran.
Live appearances[]
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