S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Wiki
Advertisement
The subject of this article appears in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat.

So that’s how it is... Well, we can’t make it out of here on foot! God knows how many miles of this shit, and then the Zone is full of stalkers who aren’t exactly our best buddies. That means our only choice is to conduct our own investigation, and not buy the farm in the process. Major, we're working towards the same goal here.
― Kovalsky

Colonel Kovalsky (ukr. Ковальський) is the commander of Operation Fairway in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat.

Background[]

Colonel Kovalsky is the leader of the Stingray group and was aboard the Stingray 1 helicopter. After the helicopter initiated an emergency landing near a minefield in Yanov, his crew are met by a stalker named Guide who led them safely to Pripyat.

He seems to be a brave and determined leader - despite the obvious failure of the operation, mounting casualties, and low manpower, he continues to push for Pripyat when the opportunity presents itself, and after taking over a fortified laundromat in the city, he regularly sends out patrols and conducts raids into Monolith-controlled territory. In the final mission, he puts his life on the line and fights alongside his men with his Tunder S14.

Kovalsky is shown to value life more than his profession, as evidenced by the fact that he allows the Free Stalkers Vano, Strider, Garry, and Strelok (and possibly Zulu, had he been retrieved by Degtyarev after splitting from the group due to Degtyarev's affiliation with the Military) to stay in the Laundromat alongside the stranded Spetsnaz operators - eventually allowing Strelok be evacuated with them. One of his main concerns during all the quests he gives is the fate and safety of the men he sends out.

Appearances[]

Call of Pripyat[]

Kovalsky's voice is heard for the first time when the player has Nitro decrypt Stingray 1's Black Box which reveals an audio log where Kovalsky orders all his men to gather at evacuation point B28 following the loss of Stingray 4.

Kovalsky is introduced to the player after reaching Pripyat at the end of the mission Pripyat 1. He provides the majority of the main missions during his stay. He can also be questioned over the operation and the helicopters, although his information plays no role in the story.

Kovalsky is always found inside the Laundromat, first in a separate room on the first floor of the building, but he moves in the back room of the building towards the end of the game. During the game's finale, he will be part of the squad making its way to the River Port towards the evacuation site, fighting off the Monolith and mutants alongside his men. He can be killed in combat during this mission.

Related missions[]

  • Unidentified weapon: Kovalsky asks the player to accompany Captain Tarasov and his squad to ambush a Monolith team suspsected of carrying the unidentified weapon.
  • Missing recon unit: Captain Klimenko has gone missing after a strange communication, and Kovalsky asks the Major to investigate.
  • Monolith forces: Suspecting the Monolith forces in the Book Store of having attacked Klimenko and his men, Kovalsky sends two men to help the Major clear the place up.
  • Missing sentry: A sentry has gone missing near the Grocery Store, and Kovalsky asks the Major to investigate.
  • One Shot: If the player has talked to Garry about the Mercenaries and has obtained enough information about their activities, they can ask Kovalsky to agree on an assassination operation.
  • A quiet word: Kovalsky calls the Major to talk to him privately.
  • Radio equipment: Kovalsky informs the player that communication with HQ has been lost due to a jammer, and asks the player to find it and destroy it.
  • Unknown: A strange, intermittent signal has been picked up in the vicinity of the Laundromat; Kovalsky sends the player out to investigate.
  • Evacuation: Kovalsky takes part in the survivors' final push towards the Prometheus Movie Theater.

Endings[]

Kovalsky has two possible endings depending on his fate during the final mission of the game.

  • If Kovalsky survives the evacuation, the ending reveals he was questioned by the military high command about Operation Fairway's failure. After a number of investigations and with the top brass unable to make him the scapegoat of the failure, he was given an honorable discharge from the military.
  • If Kovalsky is killed during the evacuation, the ending states he is remembered only by a few faded photographs to remind Ukraine about the sacrifices he and his many men made to understand the Zone.

Gallery[]

Advertisement