The Ukrainian e-sports organization Natus Vincere has announced in a Twitter statement its dejection about the Russian attack on Ukraine.

"It is impossible for us to pretend that everything is okay during this war. It's not okay. We are devastated," it said.

On Saturday, the organization's counter-strike team is scheduled to compete in the semifinals of the IEM Katowice, one of the most important tournaments of the tactical shooter. The team is staffed with Ukrainian and Russian players. "Our main goal now is to stay calm and take care of ourselves, our loved ones and those who need help," it said on Navi's Twitter account.

The star of the team, Ukrainian Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev, wrote on Twitter on Thursday morning: "My city is being shelled right now". Five hours earlier, just before the start of the invasion by Russia, he tweeted: "Please, please, it's enough, I can't anymore, we all need peace".

Whether Navi will compete on Saturday, remained open at first. Organizer ESL announced via Twitter that the games in Katowice, Poland, will take place as planned. At the same time, it is a priority to support the affected stakeholders of IEM Katowice.

E-sports teams with solidarity for Ukraine

A large number of e-sports teams also expressed their solidarity with Ukraine, changed their logos on social media to the Ukrainian colors and linked donation accounts for aid organizations. Among them were the Berlin organizations G2 Esports and BIG as well as the teams Astralis, SK Gaming and Ninjas in pajamas.

The co-managing Director of Team Liquid, Victor "Nazgul" Goossens, offered friends and colleagues accommodation in Amsterdam if they could not travel home to Ukraine.