"This is not Verdansk, this is real life”: Ukrainian CS: GO player s1mple calls for peace amidst Russia-Ukraine crisis

One of CS: GO's biggest names, Oleksandr "s1mple", is the latest member of the Esports community to has spoken up about Russia's activities in Ukraine.

Over the last few days, s1mple's home country, Ukraine, has been on the brink of war as Russian military forces have invaded the region. Since the onset of the attack, people all over the world have taken to Twitter and other social media platforms to express their solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

In light of the disaster, s1mple shared a horrifying image that showed a number of locations in Ukraine that have been subjected to Russian military interference.

The streamer drew comparisons between Call of Duty and the events in Ukraine by saying:

"This is not Verdasnk, this is real life."

While indicating the seriousness of the situation, he added:

"Don't let others fool you."

Currently, NAVI and s1mple are in preparation for the IEM Katowice LAN event in Poland, which, as of the time of writing, is expected to continue its proceedings despite the events occurring in its neighboring country.

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CS: GO pro s1mple calls for peace amidst the attack on his home country of Ukraine

S1mple's efforts on Twitter began with a tweet in Russian that pleaded against the act of war that his home country is being subject to.

His tweet simply states:

"We all need peace."

Shortly afterwards, s1mple shared more information on the events, stating that his home city of Kiev was being shelled by Russian troops. Support for the player swarmed in from notable members of the CS: GO and Esports community.

s1mple is currently going through the insurmountable pressure of competing in one of the biggest events in CS: GO Esports while his home is under duress. The 24-year-old made his dilemma evident on his most recent Twitter post.

Currently, s1mple is distraught at being away from his family during a war situation. However, due to IEM Katowice proceeding as scheduled, s1mple and other participants of the tournament will have to stay in Poland and fight for the trophy.

A video emerged on Twitter that showed s1mple, as an 18-year-old, talking about his hopes of seeing peace in the modern world. In a live stream during his time at Team Liquid in 2016, the athlete explained his dream of a world without any chaos.

"It's peace in the world, my friend, and that's what I really want."

With the roots of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict dating back to 2014, it's not surprising to see him advocate for peace and harmony.

s1mple is renowned in the gaming sector due to his achievements in CS: GO and his history as one of the all-time greats of the game. He currently represents Ukrainian Esports organization Natus Vincere and hopes to return to his family in Kiev once the danger subsides.