Virtus.pro’s New CS2 Sniper b1st: Ranked Takeaways From His First Major Interview

Virtus.pro have officially entered a new era in Counter-Strike 2 with the signing of Vladimir “b1st” Krasikov, a 17-year-old AWPer promoted from the academy system. In his first major interview, the young sniper spoke about school, mindset, role models, and his views on the current Major contenders.

Here are the most important ranked insights from b1st’s interview — plus essential context around VP’s roster rebuild.

🔟 b1st switched to homeschooling to pursue a CS2 career

The VP sniper confirmed that he moved to family-based homeschooling, allowing him to compete professionally while still completing mandatory exams at the end of each academic quarter. This approach has become increasingly common among young tier-1 prospects.

9️⃣ He is still preparing for exams alongside pro play

Despite his busy schedule, b1st is currently studying math, Russian language, and informatics, openly admitting that programming is the subject he needs to focus on the most.

8️⃣ Football was his first serious passion

Before CS, b1st was heavily involved in football, training consistently before deciding to fully commit to esports in his teenage years — a familiar path for many CIS players.

7️⃣ Demo review is the core of his improvement process

b1st emphasized that his growth came from watching demos, studying positioning, and analyzing crosshair placement. He believes learning how to watch demos is one of the most underrated skills for aspiring players.

6️⃣ NAVI and s1mple inspired him to become an AWPer

The young sniper directly credits NAVI’s 2021 era and Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev as the reason he chose the AWP role, saying that watching those matches made him want to follow the same path.

5️⃣ He believes momentum can decide a Major winner

When discussing the Major, b1st pointed out that teams who survive tight matches often gain crucial momentum. He named Falcons as a team capable of winning the tournament if they start playoffs strongly.

4️⃣ FURIA and Team Spirit are his top Major favorites

Despite mentioning Falcons, b1st clearly named FURIA as the primary favorite based on recent results, also highlighting Team Spirit as a major contender.

3️⃣ The team he wants to beat the most: FURIA

Asked directly, b1st said FURIA is the opponent he is most motivated to defeat — a revealing answer given VP’s recent struggles against top international teams.

2️⃣ He highlights xiELO as an underrated player

b1st singled out xiELO as a player who impressed him at the Major and could become a strong tier-1 competitor in the future, calling him one of the scene’s most underrated talents.

🥇 “Sometimes hot-tempered, but kind” — b1st on himself

The quote that defined the interview: b1st describes himself as goal-oriented, sometimes emotional, and kind, admitting that negativity can surface during matches but is something he actively works on controlling.

Additional Context: Virtus.pro’s CS2 Rebuild

VP promoted b1st after trialing him at international events and benching ICY, signaling a long-term rebuild strategy.

Team captain Perfecto previously called missing the Major “awful,” stressing how important Majors are for both veterans and young players.

b1st has already explained that VP’s structured, slow-paced system limits aggressive AWP plays early on, which partially explains his conservative stats.

Why b1st’s signing matters for Virtus.pro

Virtus.pro are betting on development over short-term results, trusting a 17-year-old AWPer to grow inside a disciplined CS2 system. While results may take time, b1st’s mindset, preparation habits, and clear role models suggest VP are building for the future — not just the next event.