Babylon XX

A Red Navy sailor who returns to Babylon to push for a new communist order. He openly attacks old symbols, distrusts some locals, and acts as a trigger for the village’s political upheaval. His drive to reshape society clashes with wary villagers and the island of tradition that still anchors Babylon.

A central female figure torn between the old world and the promise of the commune. She loves Fabian but seeks membership in the new order, and she becomes pregnant by Volodya Yavorskyi. Her fate intersects with both political and romantic violence as events unfold.

A scheming brother figure who pursues his own marriage plans while drifting toward the kulak faction. His jealousy and shifting loyalties propel part of the village into violence, and he becomes a tool in the broader power struggle.

Danko’s brother who harbors his own ambitions and eventually aligns with the communists. He embodies the division in the village between old ties and the pull of revolutionary change.

The village’s gravedigger and self-styled philosopher, he becomes Malva’s confidant and is drawn into the romance that intensifies the political conflict. He is killed by Bubela’s militia amid the violence of the uprising.

Wealthy local with a kulak militia who aims to crush the commune and protect his fortune. He incites violence, seizes weapons, and directly killers Malva and indirectly seals Fabian’s fate during the riot.

An orphan cared for by Danko and Lukian’s mother. She becomes a witness to the turmoil and notices Bubela’s weapon stash, providing crucial information that heightens the plot’s tension.

A poet who escorts Malva and becomes her lover. His relationship with Malva is cut short by Bubela’s violence, illustrating how art and affection are drawn into the political maelstrom.