SERGEANT BORSOV

Sergeant Borsov was a young Soviet soldier stationed in Afghanistan and serving under Captain Osharansky. When one of America's early Rogallo satellites fell out of orbit, MacGyver was sent to Afghanistan to retrieve the classified data capsule it carried before the Soviets could get their hands on it. In order to get to the target quickly, MacGyver flew an obsolete military jet into Afghan airspace, then parachuted from the jet as the Soviets brought it down with ground-to-air missiles. Captain Osharansky ordered all available men, both Russians and Afghan followers of the tribal leader Khalil, to search for the plane and the pilot. Sergeant Borsov operated a tank, but while his tank was being serviced, he joined the search for MacGyver.

MacGyver recovered the data capsule, but he became trapped on the top of a mesa by Soviet and Afghan forces, and his only means of escape was to piece together parts of the downed satellite to build a hang glider. During his flight from the mesa, he was shot in the right shoulder and hand, but he was rescued by Ahmed, a young Afghan boy who brought him home to his mother, Zia, the widow of an Afghan resistance leader. Although fearful of the consequences, Zia and Ahmed nursed MacGyver back to health, even as both the Soviets and the Afghans narrowed in on his location.

Sergeant Borsov approached Zia's home, but MacGyver had hidden himself under the hay in the shed, and he used a rope and a loosened post to bring the shed crashing down on Borsov. Although stunned, Borsov was unharmed, and MacGyver let him go, explaining to Ahmed that it wasn't necessary to kill him. When Borsov returned to his commander without the pilot, or his vehicle, or his weapons, Osharansky insisted he would have had him shot had it not been for his desperate need of non-commissioned officers. Instead, he sent Borsov back out on patrol in his tank, threatening that he would lose his rank and six months' pay if he were successful, and he would be court-martialed for dereliction of duty if he failed.

Meanwhile, with no choice remaining to them, Zia and Ahmed joined MacGyver as he made his way to the Pakistani border, where they once again encountered Sergeant Borsov in his tank. In return for MacGyver's earlier compassion, Borsov said with a smile, "American, if I had seen you, I might tell you the border is two kilometers due east. But next time, American, next time I drop roof on your head." And he allowed MacGyver, Zia, and Ahmed to cross safely into Pakistan.

Portrayed by: Michael Shore

Cross Reference: Afghanistan, Ahmed, Khalil, Captain Osharansky, Rogallo Satellite, Zia

Episode Reference: To Be a Man