| Ivan Krupin | |
|---|---|
| |
| Status: | Deceased |
| Cause of death: | Drowned by Yevgeny Gromov's men |
| Nationality: |  Russian
|
| Residence(s): | Berlin, Germany (former) Wyoming (until his death) |
| Affiliation: | SVR |
| Profession: | Intelligence agent |
| Significant other(s): | Allison Carr (associate) (ex-lover) (deceased) Kira (girlfriend) |
| Played by: | Mark Ivanir |
| Season(s): | 5, 7 |
| First episode: | "Why Is This Night Different?" |
| Last episode: | "Species Jump" |
"Because you are an easy target, Saul" - Ivan for Saul
Ivan Krupin is a high-ranking agent in the Russian secret service SVR. He works closely with CIA agent Allison Carr and they provide each other with secret information.
Background[]
Season 5[]
When a hacker named Numan is able to steal secret documents from the CIA's servers, his friend Korzenik offers them to the Russians - without his knowledge. Ivan Krupin meets with Korzenik in a back room and has the USB stick with the CIA documents handed over to him. At the same time, he sent someone to Numan and Korzenik's apartment to see if there were any copies left there, because he wanted to be absolutely sure that no one else would get their hands on this information. In order to find out where the copies are, he tortures Korzenik and ultimately has his girlfriend, who is in the apartment, killed. After he is sure that there are no more copies, he has Korzenik himself strangled and disappeared.
At the same time, Krupin has assigned another agent named Vasily to eliminate Peter Quinn in order to cover up his tracks on an attack on the Syrian General Youssef and the former CIA agent Carrie Mathison. Only later does he find out that his husband was killed in a shootout in front of a post office and that Quinn probably survived. Compared to Allison Carr, his contact at the CIA, Ivan Krupin sees this relatively calmly, as he does not believe that he and Allison will be tracked down, but rather that it will lead them at most to the SVR, but no further. When he informs Allison that Carrie is dead, he tries to calm her down and encourages her that they will soon reach their goal. Together they discuss the next steps, which also stipulate that Dar Adal increasingly distrusts Saul Berenson.
When Allison suspects a little later that Carrie might still be alive, Ivan asks her to keep calm and get more information. When they find out that Carrie is following a lead to Amsterdam that could expose him and Allison, Ivan sends a few men to eliminate the possible source and her and destroy all evidence. Nobody should find out how long Ivan and Allison have been working together and what they have already achieved during this time. Ivan has had Allison in his hands since her mission in Baghdad in 2005, when he drove her to treason through the use of the man Ahmed Nazari and thus had leverage against her. He forces her to pull a few strings for him at the CIA and provide him with information. In return, he also promises to entrust her with secrets about the Russians' plans, which she should use cleverly to quickly rise in the CIA hierarchy. So both sides hope to get something out of it, but no one is allowed to find out about this deal and Carrie is dangerously close to uncovering the matter. Ivan therefore relies on the friendship of the two women when Carrie contacts her, and Allison is supposed to carefully find out what Carrie knows and whether it is necessary to eliminate her.
Ivan always has his hands full with Allison losing her nerve and her behavior could expose their collaboration. When she finally panics so much about a supposed defector from the SVR that she leads the CIA and the BND directly to him, Ivan reacts very angrily. However, Allison manages to come up with a plan B with him at the last second. When Ivan is arrested with his men and interrogated by the BND, he confesses that he was Allison's contact at the SVR. However, he makes it seem as if he was the double agent who deceived the Russians by supplying the CIA - i.e. Allison - with information. The intervention of the BND and the CIA has now jeopardized twelve years of work and put his life at risk.
When it becomes known shortly afterwards that jihadists in Berlin are planning a terrorist attack with poison gas, Ivan, at Allison's signal, gives them some important information about what gas the terrorists could use. In this way he manages to regain a little trust. But outside the interrogation room, events come to a head and Allison's work for the Russians is exposed, which is why Saul tries to corner Ivan. He even offers him a new identity if he helps them find Allison, and Ivan accepts the offer. Krupin even rubs Saul's nose in how he set Allison up for him because he was such an easy target.
Season 7[]
Years after the events in Berlin, Ivan Krupin lives in Wyoming under a new identity. Saul Berenson visits him one day because he needs information about the work of Russian spies on American soil. He suspects that Russia is behind a hoax that escalated the situation surrounding Brett O'Keefe in Lucasville, Virginia. However, Ivan doesn't believe that Russians have a hand in this time. However, Saul then speaks directly to Yevgeny Gromov, whom he suspects is the mastermind behind the false report. However, Ivan denies that Saul is on the wrong track. However, Saul finds this behavior suspicious and has him followed, which Ivan notices. It's not difficult for him to leave his observers behind and secretly visit an old acquaintance who is supposed to arrange a meeting with Yevgeny Gromov. During the heated exchange between the two, it turns out that Krupin was to be activated again as an agent in a year and his appearance could now endanger this mission.
When he later meets with Gromov, Ivan informs him that the Americans are on his trail because of his negligent behavior. He also blames his shortsightedness in ensuring that Americans died on American soil. He warns Gromov of the consequences if President Keane links Russia to the Lucasville incident. Krupin is annoyed that Gromov brushes off his warnings and threatens to report his behavior to the embassy or headquarters in Moscow, but this only makes Gromov laugh. Krupin has to realize that Gromov won't stick to the old espionage rules from the Cold War era. In the evening he quickly contacts Saul, but before a meeting can take place, he is kidnapped and murdered by Gromov's men. Saul finds his chain and clues to the crime at the agreed meeting point, but there is nothing more he can do.
Biography[]
Years ago, Ivan groomed CIA officer Allison Carr into becoming a mole for Russia, receiving vital state secrets in exchange for information that would advance Allison up the ranks of the CIA.
Ivan had a meeting with Yevgeny that night and knew what it meant to him and his ability to stay alive. That's why he had Saul meet him there. He wanted Saul to know he was in town and what had happened to him. Ivan left a series of clues: his broken cigarette still smoking, his necklace attached to a line in the water. Ivan knew his death was imminent and used that knowledge to reaffirm Saul's instincts about Yevgeny.
The way the serie see Ivan's character has changed after watching his scene with Saul in "The False Glimmer" especially because it's very interesting that Ivan and Javadi respected Saul and the "old rules" at the end.
Trivia[]
The Russian nickname Ivan had for Allison: Alishka
Quotes[]
- “I’d know when to praise, when to scold, when to laugh at her jokes.” - Saul talking to Ivan
- “The last illusion of the illusionless man.”- Saul
- “You were an easy target, Saul. Middle-aged, recently divorced.” - Ivan
- “As far as he’s concerned, I still think he’s the happy defector going about his happy life. Who knows, maybe he is.” - Saul
Reviews[]
As far as he’s concerned, I still think he’s the happy defector going about his happy life. Who knows, maybe he is.
Behind the Scenes[]
Appearances[]
| Season 5 | ||||
| "Separation Anxiety" | "The Tradition of Hospitality" | "Super Powers" | Why Is This Night Different? | Better Call Saul |
| "Parabiosis" | Oriole | All About Allison | The Litvinov Ruse | New Normal |
| "Our Man in Damascus" | A False Glimmer | |||
| Season 7 | ||||
| "Enemy of the State" | "Rebel Rebel" | "Standoff" | "Like Bad at Things" | Active Measures |
| Species Jump | "Andante" | "Lies, Amplifiers, F**king Twitter" | "Useful Idiot" | "Clarity" |
| "All In" | "Paean to the People" | |||