Black Ops Cold War Zakhaev: Is Imran Zakhaev in Cold War?

(Image credit: Activision, Treyarch)

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Is Imran Zakhaev in Cold War? The answer is yes, albeit only briefly. Zakhaev is an important person, so he doesn't much time to waste chatting. That said, his ties with big players like Gorbachev and Kravchenko in Cold War mean you'll rub shoulders with him in the Call of Duty: Cold War campaign.

Imran Zakhaev may have died in Modern Warfare's future, but Black Ops - Cold War takes us back in time to when the Ultranationalist leader was still very much alive. If you want to read on to find out exactly where you'll encounter Zakhaev, be prepared for some campaign spoilers. Otherwise, here's where to find Call of Duty: Cold War Zakhaev.

We already knew that Infinity Ward and Treyarch would be linking their Call of Duty games together via Warzone. However, Black Ops - Cold War has ties with Modern Warfare, thanks to the inclusion of Imran Zakhaev. If you've been paying attention to the ongoing plots in the Modern Warfare games, you'll have crossed paths with Zakhaev in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, where he served as the main antagonist, as well as the more recent Modern Warfare (2019).

Zakhaev was a high-ranking officer, so it's no surprise that he's played such a major part in the Call of Duty games over the years. Seeing as Black Ops - Cold War is set in the early 1980s, it's fitting that we get to meet his younger self. In fact, there's even a couple of opportunities to speak to Zakhaev in Cold War.

Zakhaev Cold War: Where to find the Call of Duty character

KGB briefing

During the Desperate Measures mission, you attend a briefing with Gorbachev, Kravchenko, and Zakhaev. You learn that there's a mole within the KGB and briefly speak with these characters about the ongoing investigation.

Elevator ride

Later on in the mission, you head into an elevator with Adler. After the doors almost close, Zakhaev enters. He begins questioning you, but things can quickly turn violent if you don't choose the correct responses. However, if you manage to find the right answers, you may just unlock a Black Ops Cold War Dark Ops challenge.

As PC Gamer's guides writer, Emma is usually juggling several games at once. She loves competitive first-person shooters like CS:GO and Call of Duty, but she always has time for a few rounds of Hearthstone. She's happiest when she's rescuing pugs in Spelunky 2.