Haldin's request
When Haldin arrives in Razumov's dorm, Razumov learns that Haldin committed the terrorist attack that claimed the lives of an important politician and some nearby passersby, all killed in a bomb blast—a bomb Haldin planted. But, Haldin's escape plan was foiled, so he comes to Razumov for help, but ironically, Razumov isn't political, so Haldin expects him to be sympathetic, but instead, Razumov turns him in to the police and Haldin is executed.
The ironic Revolution
Notice how the Revolutionary movement is taking place not in Russia, but in Switzerland, which is a country well-known for its political neutrality. That is an obvious symbol that although the Revolutionary movement is more honestly neutral in its political views, we learn later that the movement is comprised of individuals who are secretly very foolish and clumsy. So clumsy in fact that Razumov never even really has to lie about his loyalty, because everyone assumes that a young man his age would be political liberal. In fact, he is a Russian spy.
The non-political militant
Though Razumov is not political, he does end up taking his salary for being a spy in Switzerland. He is surrounded by political people who are having very poor luck overthrowing the Russian government, but he is non-political, yet the argument could be made that he is effecting greater military change in his espionage than his entire community is in the Revolution. He is actually a successful spy, because he genuinely doesn't care about politics.
The ironic punishment
When Razumov is attacked for his confession, that is ironic, because they could have used his new loyalty to their advantage, but instead, they let their emotions overwhelm them, and they attacked him leaving him with serious injuries, permanently incapacitated and in need of constant care. That means that Tekla is essentially gone too. Instead of using Razumov as a double agent, they use him as a scapegoat for their violence and pent-up rage.
The irony of love and sacrifice
Why does Razumov turn himself into the Revolution? Because he loves Natalia. It isn't because he is persuaded by the liberal rhetoric, nor was he ever truly on board with the Russian government. He was like an unaffiliated person, like a free agent, but when he experienced familial love for his community, which manifested itself as the deep urge to be Natalia's husband and to be a family, he turns himself in. That means that the novel's depiction of love has two essential components—honesty and self-sacrifice. Ironically, love means doing the worst thing for his own health and safety that he could possibly have done.
