History:(Winter Soldier I#6 (fb) - BTS) - Boris Kolchek was a former KGB operative who was intended to act as a handler for the programmed agent Leonid "Leo" Novokov. Following a large earthquake near the facility where Leo was held in suspended animation, Boris Kolchek went to wake Leo from suspended animation, only to find Leo had already escaped. Years later, when Bucky Barnes went on trial for crimes committed while brainwashed as the Winter Soldier, Boris placed Classified ads in newspapers across the United States with specific trigger words, hoping that Leo would read it and awaken as his sleeper agent.
(Winter Soldier I#6 (fb)) - Two days after Boris had
placed the Classified ad, the homeless drifter Leo Novokov was perusing
the Classified ads per his daily habit when he saw Boris' ad. His
programming immediately awakened but, not knowing why he finally felt
alive, Leo followed his pre-programmed suggestions to Boris Kolchek's
office. Boris met with the awakened Leo and grumbled about the news
showing Bucky Barnes, the formerly brainwashed Winter Soldier, and how
reports stated that Bucky had been brainwashed by the KGB to commit acts
against his own American people. A still somewhat confused Leo then
questioned if Boris was meant to be his controller since he had placed
the Classified ad and Boris, handing Leo a drink, confirmed Leo's
question and explained how he'd earlier went to retrieve Leo, only to
find he had already escaped. Revealing that he'd been placing his
Classified ad in papers all across the country since Bucky Barnes' trial
began, Boris was questioned by Leo as to whether he expected Leo to
blindly follow orders and Boris replied that Leo had sworn to do so. As
Boris took a drink, an angry Leo asked if, after Boris had left him
"sleeping" for years, Boris still thought Leo was the same man who had
taken an oath of allegiance. When Boris answered that men didn't change,
Leo pulled out a gun and shot Boris dead, remarking that men did change
and Boris' war was over. Months later, as the now-heroic Winter Soldier
searched for the escaped Leo Novokov, his S.H.I.E.L.D. ally Jasper
Sitwell uncovered information on Boris Kolchek, learning that Boris had
been found shot dead two days after placing a Classified ad in the
newspapers. Sitwell informed the Winter Soldier on what he had
discovered about Boris Kolchek and suggested that perhaps Leo didn't
want a handler.