zont1x (Myroslav Plakhotia) is a Ukrainian professional esports player in Counter-Strike 2, playing as a rifler. He gained the greatest prominence competing for the organization Team Spirit. He was born on July 20, 2005, in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine.
In 2021, he joined the academy of the Russian organization Team Spirit (Spirit Academy). At that time, the esports player did not comment on political events in any way and focused entirely on his gaming career, remaining within the structure of a club with Russian roots.
zont1x's position on the war in Ukraine
Following the outbreak of the full-scale war, Myroslav Plakhotia made no public statements regarding the military aggression. He continued collaborating with Team Spirit, which relocated to Serbia but continues to be sponsored by Russian companies BetBoom and Yandex, contributing to replenishing the Russian state budget. In 2023, the esports athlete left the youth roster and transferred to the team's main roster, where he continues to compete alongside Russian citizens.
Statements about the "LPR"
A particular resonance and controversy surrounding the player erupted after his statements during a match on the FaceIT platform in January 2025. During the game, a dialogue took place between him and a teammate, in which the latter asked whether Myroslav had previously claimed that he was from the "LPR". The player confirmed this and explained that he was born there. When asked whether he considers that territory Luhansk or the "LPR", Myroslav answered:
Well, if you go there, will you see a Ukrainian flag there?
At the same time, he added that he does not need a Russian passport because he does not consider himself Russian.
Inclusion in the "Myrotvorets" database
Due to his public recognition of the occupied territory as the "LPR", zont1x was added to the database of the Ukrainian website "Myrotvorets". He is accused of collaborating with Russians, participating in propaganda events (through playing on a Russian team), and publicly recognizing the legitimacy of quasi-republics.
The player himself avoids direct public interviews in which he would condemn Russian aggression in detail or support the AFU, attempting to position himself as outside of politics, which only intensifies criticism against him inside Ukraine.
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