NAVI academies part ways with all Russian CS:GO players

Ukraine-based esports organization NAVI announced in a video on the club’s YouTube account, all Russian players who represented the academy team system have left NAVI.

Read also: NAVI COO on Russian players of NAVI: “They think about changing citizenship if possible”

It was reported that Russian players left both the Junior and Youth rosters of NAVI.  Although no particular names were stated, it is probable that they are the following esports players: Vladislav “latt1kk” Vydrin, Dmitriy “fen2k” Gladskikh, Vladislav “xiELO” Lysov and Maxim “sh1ne” Vinogradov.

The organization has yet to reveal who would appear in the lineups of the resurrected academy. According to the video, Rodion “fear” Smyk, who was previously dismissed from the squad, has returned to NAVI Junior to serve as the team’s IGL. The Ukrainian players Daniil “headtr1ck” Valitov, Andrii “nipl” Kukharskyi, and Mark “UNBR0KEN” Varakuta will be joined the Natus Vincere Junior. A fifth member is yet to be revealed. Also, Natus Vincere Junior’s forthcoming matches are set to take place in the fourth season of the WePlay Academy League. The tournament’s date has not yet been announced.

Read more: s1mple on possible changes in NAVI: “The situation is complicated”

The announcement of Natus Vincere’s plan to leave with all of the Russian players on the academy rosters came only days after the club’s CEO, Evgeniy Zolotarev, declared that the company does not want to continue working with players who live in Russia and pay taxes there amid the Ukraine conflict.

Also read: Esports organizations published a message of support to Ukraine!