Ivan Kragoff was a russian scientist who worked for the former soviet union. He became fascinated by the Fantastic Four and began to study their history. kragoff believed he could recreate the accident that gave the FF their super-powers, and he convinced his government to build a spaceship that was specifically designed to expose its crew to cosmic rays. Instead of testing his theory on over humans, Kragoff decided to use two great apes and a monkey that he trained for the mission. Blasting into space the same day FF had embarked their journey, kragoff and his apes headed directly into a cosmic storm that transformed them into the infamous Red Ghost and his Super-Apes.

Untouchable

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After being exposed to the cosmic rays, Kragoff gained the ability to become a living phantom. He can become intangible at will and is able to make part of his body solid while the rest stay unsubstantial. Although he cannot turn invisible, he can make his body transparent. He has aquired the ability to assume a mistlike form so that he looks like a real ghost. He can also turn matter he touches or has touched recently intangible.

Ultimate Red Ghost

In the Ultimate Universe, Dr. Igor Kragoff was a colleague of Sue and Johnny Storm's father. Reed Richards was invited to a scientific symposium but he was too wrapped up in another project to attend. Frustrated at his lack of attention, Sue decided to attend in his place, by herself.

While Sue was on route to Siberia, her plane was shot down by Kragoff's assistant, Rutskaya. Kragoff wanted to use Sue's DNA to resurrect Kragoff's wife. Unfortunately it would result in Sue losing her own life.

As the procedure was about to begin, Rutskaya betrayed Kragoff. She killed him, wanting Sue's power for herself. Rutskaya was caught in an explosion in the lab and was instead transformed into the Red Ghost.