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.

Falcons have made a brutal statement to kick off their FISSURE Playground 2 campaign, dismantling Virtus.pro in one of the most lopsided tier-one Counter-Strike series in recent memory. The Russian side, debuting a new era under Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy as in-game leader, managed to win just three rounds across two maps.

From the very first match, @FalconsEsport show they’re only aiming for the championship! 🏆

Exclusively on @KickStreaming → https://t.co/I71l9Otfqz pic.twitter.com/ssQtGURhBq

— FISSURE_ENG (@fissure_eng) September 12, 2025

Mirage, VP’s own pick, turned into a nightmare. Falcons stormed through to a 13-1 win, with René “TeSeS” Madsen pulling off a 1v3 clutch and Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin showing complete dominance. Virtus.pro’s only highlight came from Kaisar “ICY” Faiznurov, who pulled off a 1v3 of his own, but it was nowhere near enough to spark momentum.

Ancient didn’t offer any reprieve. Despite getting into advantageous positions, VP failed to convert critical rounds, including a 5v3 and a 2v1. Falcons capitalised and raced to a 13-2 finish, wrapping up the series 2-0. In the end, Virtus.pro’s new roster could muster only three rounds total, a staggering collapse that leaves them with plenty of questions heading into their next matches.

Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin led the charge with a monstrous 35-18 K-D and a 1.96 rating, while Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov and TeSeS also delivered big numbers.

Image via HLTV.org

On the other side, Perfecto’s first outing as captain could hardly have gone worse, finishing with just 11 kills and a 0.46 rating. For more background on the lineup shift, check out our coverage of Perfecto taking over as Virtus.pro captain and tO0RO’s promotion from VP.Prodigy.

pic.twitter.com/mvkEY0T5bW

— Aurora CS2 (@AuroraCS2_GG) September 12, 2025

Day One Roundup

While Falcons dominated Virtus.pro, the rest of the opening day brought more competitive action. TYLOO thrashed GamerLegion 2-0, 3DMAX edged out The MongolZ in a three-map battle, and Aurora overcame Astralis in another tight series. All four winners advanced to the 1-0 pool, taking a crucial first step toward the playoffs, while the losers now face the risk of an early exit.

Day 1 recap 🙂

First matches of Round 1 in the Swiss system group stage are done 🫡

❗️Matches continue tomorrow — don’t miss the schedule❗️ pic.twitter.com/x7qSWPpBvH

— FISSURE_ENG (@fissure_eng) September 12, 2025

FISSURE Playground 2 runs from 12–21 September in Belgrade, Serbia, with a $1.25 million prize pool up for grabs.

The post Falcons Destroy Virtus.pro in FISSURE Playground 2 Opener 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.