Director Vadim Zalesky was a Russian government official. Zalesky and Dmitry Markoff met privately with Grigor Nikunin after Nikunin began to doubt Arkady Malenkov's operation with the Firethorn mercenaries. Believing the operation would go along more smoothly in Russian hands, Nikunin asked Zalesky and Markoff to offer as much assistance as possible; the two officials agreed, although Zalesky demanded compensation for their assistance, and threatened to erase Nikunin's existence should Malenkov's plans put Russian in jeopardy. After the mercenaries ran into trouble once again, Zalesky and Markoff analyzed video footage from Berbera International Airport and were shocked to discover Jack Bauer at the scene. When Malenkov's operation failed, Zalesky and Markoff ceased assisting him and sent