Ivanov
Ivanov is Rubashov’s old comrade and first interrogator.
The book

Who they are in the book
Spoiler-freeIvanov is Rubashov’s old comrade and first interrogator. A civil-war veteran with an amputated leg, he remains capable of irony, argument, and personal loyalty. He believes Rubashov can be persuaded to confess rationally and tries to prevent Gletkin’s brutal methods. The regime arrests and executes Ivanov for mishandling the case, proving that humane hesitation has itself become dangerous.
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