Aahana Swrup
Oleksandra Balakin joins ‘Lioness’ season 3 as an enigmatic Ukrainian double agent who brings an enticing offer for the CIA. She supplies Joe McNamara and her team with the location of Alexis Yurimov, Putin’s right-hand man, granting them the opportunity to make a potentially beneficial capture. She further proves to be an asset for the US as the black ops team goes after foreign agents infiltrating the cultural and social sectors of the country. With her intel, various individuals, from engineers to university professors and politicians, are made agents working against the interests of the States. In turn, all Oleksa asks for is a place in Witness Protection to ensure her safety. Nonetheless, this safety is compromised in the wake of Joe’s abduction. Before she knows it, the former SVR Agent has become a prime suspect in the case. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Meade and Westfield Prematurely Orchestrate Oleksandra Balakin’s Execution
Even though Oleksa proves to be an overall asset for the CIA, she continues to be regarded with an air of suspicion. Initially, Meade and the others assume that Russia is most likely to be behind Joe’s abduction. Nonetheless, over time, this theory begins to weaken. This sends them into a flurry to identify the real culprits and deliver retribution to them. Unfortunately for the double agent, she’s the one who ends up attracting most of this leftover suspicion. The risky operation requires a certain kind of incentive that most of the US enemy nations lack, as per Meade’s evaluation. Eventually, over an unusual brainstorming session with her husband Errol, she comes to an unexpected conclusion. The CIA supervisor believes that, out of everyone, Ukraine has the most to gain from this operation.
Russian contractors have been at the forefront of Joe’s abduction and its earlier failed attempt. Furthermore, they are a natural magnet for the CIA’s immediate suspicion. Thus, if Joe is successfully taken out of the country, while the agency continues to believe Russia is behind the operation, it would add fuel to the fire in the relationship between the two nations. As such, the US might be compelled to make a move against the country, which will prove to be of great support to Ukraine. This would mean that the CIA has effectively been lured into a months-long, manipulative operation. Even though this conclusion only remains a theory, Meade knows that it’s dangerous enough that it could lead to dire consequences if it enters the consciousness of the public or agency higher-ups.
For the same reason, Meade and Westfield advise Mullins to sign off on Oleksa’s execution so that these rumors can be nipped in the bud. Furthermore, they insist that if they wait around until the theory can be proven wrong, it might already be too late, especially if their suspicions are indeed correct. As such, Mullins ends up ordering the execution of the double agent. Thanks to Kyle’s earlier efforts, Delta Force operators Grady and Goose already know of her location despite the Witness Protection. Thus, they easily track her down. Even though Oleksa attempts to make a run for her life, she ultimately fails. In the end, they covertly execute her and dump her body into a nondescript location. Eventually, the remains are discovered by a runner and his dog.
Oleksa’s Death Seemingly Confirms Elizaveta Neretin’s Exit From the Show
Since ‘Lioness’ has yet to be renewed for a season 4, the show’s future remains clouded with uncertainty. As such, at the time of writing, no official reports have come out confirming or denying Elizaveta Neretin’s departure from the series. Yet, given the nature of her character’s storyline, it’s fair to assume the actress will not be returning for any potential future seasons. Oleksa’s death in the season 3 finale happens off-screen. Yet, her demise has been confirmed both by other characters and the discovery of her corpse. Therefore, there’s no way that the SVR double agent will be making an appearance in the future. While it would be possible for the character to return in a flashback or dream sequence, the probability of that happening remains slim to none. Ultimately, it seems the actress’ time on the show has come to an end.
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