White Russian officer born in 1890 in St. Petersburg. This former member of the tzar Nicolas II’s imperial guard preserves the values of a tsarist Russia that is now over. Driven by his political idealism, after having joined the Red Lanterns, he rebels against the ataman Semenov, who, in his opinion, is acting against these values. However, he realizes that Shangai Lil is manipulating him and, acknowledging that the ancient world he keeps on defending is over, he prefers to be killed. He dies in 1920 in Manchuria near the Dalai-Nor lake. Nino and Corto Maltese loved the same woman, the mysterious “She” that seems to have broken both of their hearts.
Captain of an army now over, Nino would have let her steal his soul. To ease his suffering, now and then he plays the balalaika or sings a song.