Natalia Ruzhkova

Natalia Ruzhkova is a character appearing in New Sakura Wars the Animation. She's a Russian scientist that worked as part of a project to create human-demon hybrids known as Nadezhda. The born Nadehzda, Klara and Leyla, were born and taken care of by Natalia until Valery Kaminski infiltrated the project as a volunteer to use the sisters' powers to rule the world. As such, Natalia is the one who set most of the events behind Kaminski's crusade to capture Klara.

Appearance
Natalia is a middle-aged Russian woman with light brown hair.

Personality
Natalia is a sweet woman who cares about Klara and Leyla like her own daughters. Even though neither girl is blood related with Natalia and were created through the use of demon cells, the scientist only desired the best for both of them. She has contacted the WLOF to pick up and protect Klara as she knew she didn't have the power to do so.

Natalia was shown to have no hatred or disdain for demons and created the Nadezhda as human-demon hybrids as a way to bridge the gap between the two races. During her meeting with Seijuro, she expressed the desire that the Nadezhda will lead to a new age of coexistence between humans and demons.

Background
Natalia was a scientist who was doing research on demons. She has created a project that consisted in creating human-demon hybrids known as Nadezhda while hoping that the Nadezhda will lead towards a new age of coexistence between humans and demons. After several failed attempts, Natalia considered giving up until the project gave birth to two sisters : Klara and Leyla. As the two sisters grew up, Natalia treated Klara and Leyla as her daughters and live a happy life together.

One day, Valery Kaminski joined the project as a volunteer while promising he will further Natalia's research. However, Kaminski, who secretly desired the rule the world, seduced Leyla into joining him in his plans. In 1941, it is discovered that Klara had more power and potential than her older sister. Natalia found out about Kaminski's intentions and, not wanting Klara to fall into Kaminski's hands, contacted the WLOF to tell them about Kaminski and to protect Klara. The WLOF responded by sending the Moscow Combat Revue to pick up Klara near Petrograd. However, Kaminski learned about Natalia's plans and attacked the Moscow Combat Revue's airship, killing them in the process. Ever since the attack, Natalia feared for the safety of her daughters but remained powerless to help them while her health was getting worse.

She is also revealed to have known Hakushuu Murasame for a while as she referred to her as a friend living in Japan.

Episode 9 : Unbelievable! The Truth About Klara!
A while after the attack on the Moscow Combat Revue, Natalia came into contact with Seijuro Kamiyama, the Captain of the Imperial Combat Revue's Flower Division, who was investigating on Valery Kaminski's connection to the Moscow Combat Revue. When meeting with Seijuro during one night, Natalia told the young man about the project, Klara and Leyla's true potential, how Kaminski secretly joined the project to get the sisters for himself and how she contacted the WLOF to protect Klara.

On the same night, Natalia and Seijuro were attacked by Kaminski's mechanical dolls. While Seijuro easily destroyed them, Natalia's health made the elderly woman cough out blood. Seijuro says she needed a doctor but Natalia is more concerned that her daughters are in danger and that there is nothing she could do to save them. The woman made Seijuro promise that he will protect his daughters. The woman tells Seijuro about how she has a friend in Japan that could him. Seijuro silently stands as Natalia closed her eyes and seemingly passed away.