SHORTLY AFTER Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, esports pro Aleksandr 's1mple' Kostyliev published a short tweet that said, “My city is shelled r fck n”
S1mple, who is widely considered to be one of the world’s best CounterStrike: Global Offensive players, is a native of Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine. His team, Natus Vincere, is also based in the country.
The team is currently competing in the IEM Katowice 2022 in Poland.
Former CS:GO players tweet about Ukraine
Filipino pro Valorant player, Jayvee “DubsteP" Paguirigan, who is a former CS:GO pro, tweeted out in reply to s1mple: “Stay safe goat”, followed by a prayer emoji.
Fellow Valorant pro (and former CS:GO athlete) Tyson "TenZ" Ngo also tweeted about the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
I can’t believe what is happening in the world rn, actually makes me feel sick to my stomach… Prayers for Ukraine and its people," he wrote. The Sentinels player also called on people not to make light of the situation.
Russian missiles and airstrikes have descended on Kyiv and more than a dozen other cities, reports the Wall Street Journal. An update from Al Jazeera also reports “intensive shelling” in the country’s eastern region.
The current escalation of Russian military operations follows weeks of demands from Putin to halt the eastward expansion of NATO.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has called the attacks a “full-scale invasion.” United States president Joe Biden, as well as the heads of NATO and the United Nations, have denounced the escalation, with Biden vowing that the world would “hold Russia accountable.”
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