Virtus.pro have made another major change to their Counter-Strike 2 roster, benching Kazakhstani AWPer Kaisar “ICY” Faiznurov and promoting Vladimir “b1st” Krasikov from their academy team, VP.Prodigy. The move signals a continued shift toward nurturing young talent within the organisation, as the Bears aim to rebuild after a rocky season.

ICY Benched After 10 Months on the Main Roster

Virtus.pro officially announced ICY’s benching late on October 20, thanking the player for his work and professionalism since joining the team in December 2024. The club confirmed it is “open to exploring different options for the player’s future”, hinting that transfer talks or loan opportunities could soon follow.

Kaisar “ICY” Faiznurov, who represented our club in CS2 as an AWPer, has been benched.

ICY has been representing the Bears since December 2024. We thank him for his work and professionalism. The club is open to exploring different options for the player’s future.

Further… pic.twitter.com/XvY1MgEtsw

— Virtus.pro (@virtuspro) October 20, 2025

ICY’s time with Virtus.pro was marked by inconsistency, with the team struggling to find stable form across major tournaments. His best showing came early in 2025, when Virtus.pro placed 5–6th at IEM Katowice, but results quickly tapered off. Over ten months, the AWPer averaged a 1.02 rating, a modest figure that reflects both his potential and the team’s wider issues.

The team’s recent struggles were amplified when Virtus.pro failed to qualify for the StarLadder Budapest Major and were unable to compete at ESL Pro League after several players were denied entry at the Swedish border. The organisation’s ongoing roster adjustments appear to be a direct response to that turbulent stretch.

b1st Steps Up From VP.Prodigy

In a follow-up post, Virtus.pro confirmed that Vladimir “b1st” Krasikov would be promoted to replace ICY as the team’s new AWPer. The 18-year-old Russian has been one of the standout performers for VP.Prodigy, and his promotion follows the same development path as Vadim “tO0RO” Arkov, who recently joined the main line-up to replace Denis “electroNic” Sharipov.

Vladimir “b1st” Krasikov, AWPer of VP.Prodigy, has been promoted to Virtus.рro’s main CS2 roster 🔥

After impressing in VP.Prodigy, b1st becomes the next young talent to join the main lineup after tO0RO. The team is already training to ensure his smooth transition ahead of IEM… pic.twitter.com/tqZ9a2HYcF

— Virtus.pro (@virtuspro) October 20, 2025

Virtus.pro said that b1st has already begun training with the team ahead of IEM Chengdu 2025, where he’s expected to make his official debut. The move continues the organisation’s push to blend experienced veterans like Evgenii “FL1T” Lebedev and Petr “fame” Bolyshev with emerging homegrown talent.

Interestingly, the team originally planned to trial b1st at the CS Asia Championships, but VRS (Valve Regional Standings) rules required them to field at least three players from the lineup that received the event invite. That forced Virtus.pro to temporarily stick with ICY for the tournament.

Virtus.pro’s Ongoing Rebuild

The latest reshuffle marks another chapter in Virtus.pro’s ongoing rebuild. The current active roster now stands as:

• 🇷🇺 Evgenii “FL1T” Lebedev
• 🇷🇺 Petr “fame” Bolyshev
• 🇷🇺 Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy (IGL)
• 🇷🇺 Vadim “tO0RO” Arkov
• 🇷🇺 Vladimir “b1st” Krasikov

The Bears’ decision to bench ICY comes just weeks after Perfecto took over in-game leading duties, following the departure of long-time shot-caller Dzhami “Jame” Ali in late 2024. With new blood entering the team and leadership shifting internally, Virtus.pro are clearly in a long-term transition phase aimed at restoring their former consistency.

ICY, meanwhile, remains under contract but is expected to attract attention from international teams. Fans online have already speculated possible destinations ranging from BetBoom and FURIA to Brazilian sides like paiN and Fluxo.

A Familiar Story for Virtus.pro Fans

For Virtus.pro supporters, this is far from the first major roster shake-up in recent months. Following electroNic’s benching after BLAST Open London, the team has doubled down on its development philosophy, turning to academy players to fill crucial roles.

It’s a high-risk, high-reward strategy, one that could pay off if b1st adapts quickly to tier-one competition. His performances at IEM Chengdu will likely set the tone for how Virtus.pro proceed through the rest of the 2025 season.

For now, the organisation seems confident that fresh energy is exactly what the team needs to bounce back.

The post Virtus.pro Bench ICY, Promote Academy Star b1st to Main CS2 Line-up appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Virtus.pro have wasted no time rebuilding their Counter-Strike 2 roster. Just an hour after naming Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy as the team’s new in-game leader, the Russian organisation has confirmed the promotion of 17-year-old Vadim “tO0RO” Arkov from their academy squad, VP.Prodigy.

The youngster will slot into the anchor role, filling the gap left behind after Denis “electroNic” Sharipov was benched following a tough BLAST Open London campaign.

Vadim “tO0RO” Arkov from the youth squad VP.Prodigy CS2 joins the main Virtus.рro roster.

Over the past few weeks, the club has been testing players from the academy roster in search of the best fit. Vadim impressed in the anchor role, and for now the choice has fallen on him.… pic.twitter.com/J5UoSlDoaB

— Virtus.pro (@virtuspro) September 1, 2025

From academy star to main stage

Virtus.pro explained that they had been testing several academy talents in recent weeks before settling on tO0RO. According to the team, his discipline and reliability in the anchor position made him stand out.

Fans who’ve been following VP.Prodigy won’t be surprised. The academy team have been on a hot run this year, taking down the likes of Team Liquid and FUT in BLAST Premier Rising, and lifting back-to-back trophies in the ESEA League Season 54 Europe Elite Cup 1 and Myskill Pro League Season 2 Finals.

Image via HLTV.org

tO0RO has been one of their most consistent riflers, averaging a solid 1.12 rating across 2025. That makes him the second-best performer on the squad, just behind AWPer Vladimir “b1st” Krasikov.

A fresh look for Virtus.pro

Virtus.pro’s CS2 lineup has seen plenty of shake-ups lately. Perfecto only joined the roster in June, and despite his lack of prior captaincy experience, he was recently given the IGL role after unanimous agreement within the team. Now with tO0RO coming in, VP are clearly betting on fresh blood to change their fortunes.

The organisation’s updated roster is now:

• Evgenii “FL1T” Lebedev
• Petr “fame” Bolyshev
• Kaisar “ICY” Faiznurov
• Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy (IGL)
• Vadim “tO0RO” Arkov
• Ivan “F_1N” Kochugov (coach)

Benched: Timur “FL4MUS” Marev, Denis “electroNic” Sharipov
Loaned out: David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan (to HOTU)

Community reaction

As always, the news sparked debate across social media. Some fans praised Virtus.pro for finally giving their academy players a chance, calling tO0RO “the best decision in years.” Others remain sceptical, questioning whether simply promoting young talent will be enough without a proven IGL like Jame or Boombl4 back in the mix.

There’s also a lingering concern that VP’s management won’t stick with tO0RO if his debut results are shaky, with one fan bluntly asking: “Will you actually give him a chance, or bench him after his first subpar performance?”

Best decision in years. From watching V.PP this kid is a great player. Now will you actually give him a chance, or bench him after his first subpar performance?

— Balto (@Baltofps) September 1, 2025

Still, there’s genuine excitement to see how he’ll fare at the top level, and FISSURE Playground 2 in Belgrade on September 12 will give everyone the first look. With a $1.25 million prize pool and teams like The MongolZ, Falcons, FURIA, Aurora and FaZe in attendance, it’s a high-pressure environment for the teenager’s debut.

What’s next for VP?

With a new IGL in Perfecto and a fresh academy call-up in tO0RO, Virtus.pro are taking a gamble on change. After winning just one LAN match out of seven this season, it’s a move they probably needed. Now it’s a matter of whether this mix of experience and youth can finally get the team back on track.

The post Virtus.pro Promote tO0RO from VP.Prodigy to Main CS2 Roster appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Virtus.pro have named Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy as their new in-game leader in Counter-Strike 2, taking over captain duties after Denis “electroNic” Sharipov was benched last week. The move was announced on 1 September, with the organisation saying the decision was unanimous following discussions within the team.

.@perfectocsgo — the new IGL of Virtus.рro CS2 team ✊

After thorough discussions within the team, we unanimously agreed that Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy the best candidate for the role of captain and will take on IGL duties in the upcoming tournaments.

We are confident that his… pic.twitter.com/HSLZBEved2

— Virtus.pro (@virtuspro) September 1, 2025

Perfecto only joined Virtus.pro in June 2025, but the Russian squad believe his experience and game knowledge can help stabilise results after what has been a rocky season. Virtus.pro have managed just one LAN win out of seven attempts this year, including last place finishes at BLAST Open London and FISSURE Playground.

A surprising choice for IGL

Despite his decorated career as a support and anchor player, Perfecto has never been known as a shotcaller. Virtus.pro stressed that his “professional experience, deep understanding of the game, and leadership qualities” were the driving factors behind the appointment.

The community’s reaction, however, has been mixed. Many fans and analysts have questioned why VP did not bring back Jame, or sign a proven IGL like Boombl4 or 1eeR. Some pointed to former NAVI coach B1ad3, who once suggested Perfecto could be moulded into an IGL, as a reason to give the experiment a chance.

Didn’t Blade say that he initially wanted perfecto to be NaVis IGL before elec asked for it? If i remember that correctly i’m excited to see how this goes. He needs a good coach to make the transition smoother. (And +Flamus, please.)

— Phil (@N0tjace) September 1, 2025

Others were far less forgiving. On social media, fans called the decision “one step forward, five steps back,” with some suggesting VP are “allergic to real IGLs after Jame.”

Just sign an actual IGL. You have three decent options: Jame, Boombl4, and 1eeR. If you can bring back Jame you solve both issues of awp and IGL and can bring back FL4MUS. Best of luck to Perfecto nonetheless.

— Devotion1 (@DevotionCS) September 1, 2025

Criticism ranged from calls to promote academy players to demands that the roster be completely rebuilt. One blunt comment summed up the mood: “Just disband already.”

What’s next for VP?

Perfecto now leads a lineup of:

• Evgenii “FL1T” Lebedev
• Petr “fame” Bolyshev
• Kaisar “ICY” Faiznurov
• Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy (IGL)
• Ivan “F_1N” Kochugov (coach)

Inactive: Timur “FL4MUS” Marev, Denis “electroNic” Sharipov, David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan (loaned to HOTU)

Virtus.pro will debut under Perfecto’s leadership at FISSURE Playground 2 in Belgrade beginning on 12 September. The $1.25 million event features heavy hitters including The MongolZ, Falcons, FURIA, Aurora, and FaZe.

Whether Perfecto’s leadership can turn Virtus.pro’s fortunes around, or if the critics are right about the need for a proper IGL, will soon be put to the test.

The post Perfecto Takes Over as Virtus.pro Captain After electroNic Benched appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Virtus.pro have benched Denis “electroNic” Sharipov after another disappointing run on the international Counter-Strike stage. The news came just hours after the team’s early exit from BLAST Open London, where they finished last following a defeat to North American side M80.

Image via HLTV.org

The Russian organisation confirmed the decision in a statement on X, with CEO Nikolai Petrossian thanking electroNic for his professionalism and leadership during his time with the Bears.

Denis “electroNic” Sharipov has been moved to the bench.

Nikolai Petrossian, CEO of Virtus.рro:
“Denis is one of the most experienced and decorated players in the world. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to build a team together that could consistently fight for top positions at… pic.twitter.com/V7Ia78ZhIp

— Virtus.pro (@virtuspro) August 29, 2025

From blockbuster signing to the bench

electroNic joined Virtus.pro in April 2024 in a high-profile transfer from Cloud9, replacing mir in the starting roster. Expectations were sky-high, especially with his history as a four-time HLTV Top 20 Player and a Major winner with NAVI.

However, results never matched the hype. Since he took over in-game leadership duties at the end of 2024 following Jame’s benching, VP have struggled to stay consistent. The roster has gone through multiple changes and even swapped coaches three times in the past 16 months, but tournament finishes remained underwhelming.

Over the last few months, Virtus.pro placed last at both BLAST Open London and FISSURE Playground #1, 9th–12th in IEM Cologne Stage 1, 5th–8th at the BLAST Bounty Season 2 Finals, and 9th–16th at the Esports World Cup. Even with the addition of former NAVI teammate Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy, the squad failed to turn things around.

Another reshuffle in the Bears’ den

With electroNic now on the bench, he joins Timur “FL4MUS” Marev and David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan on the inactive list as Virtus.pro look to retool their roster once again. The organisation confirmed that the name of the new fifth player will be announced soon, with their next tournament appearance set for FISSURE Playground 2 starting on 12 September.

For now, the active lineup of Virtus.pro stands as:

• Evgenii “FL1T” Lebedev
• Petr “fame” Bolyshev
• Kaisar “ICY” Faiznurov
• Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy
• Ivan “F_1N” Kochugov (coach)

Inactive: David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan, Timur “FL4MUS” Marev, Denis “electroNic” Sharipov

What’s next for electroNic?

While benched, electroNic remains one of the most decorated and respected players in Counter-Strike. His future is still uncertain, but given his track record with NAVI, Cloud9, and now Virtus.pro, fans will be keeping a close eye on where he lands next.

For Virtus.pro, the pressure is on to deliver results after a string of disappointing campaigns. With another roster move looming, September’s FISSURE Playground 2 could be make-or-break for the Bears’ chances of bouncing back this season.

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