Natus Vincere released a statement Friday about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where the esports organization is based, and the future of its teams and employees. NAVI have previously released statements about their position on the conflict, like many other Commonwealth of Independent States-based organizations, and have also cut ties with companies and sponsors who are connected to funding the Russian invasion.
— NAVI (@natusvincere) March 11, 2022
“NAVI is a Ukrainian club founded in 2009 in Kyiv. More than 90% of our employees are now in Ukraine and are not going to leave the country,” the statement said. “We take people out of the most dangerous regions and help them find housing. On our cars, volunteers daily deliver humanitarian aid around Kyiv and the region, and all NAVI clothes are distributed to people who spend the second week in cold bomb shelters, to children in hospitals and orphanages.”
The organization also said they will resume their normal esports work, like covering matches and interacting on social media, when it can “under the given circumstances.”
The esports club also thanked its brand partners, tournament organizers BLAST and ESL along with multiple other esports organizations that have shown their support for Ukraine.
They also said it hopes to launch projects in support of Ukraine in March.
The future of NAVI
The organization said they will still be able to pay staff and players, but that they will have to revise their policies in the future, which may lead to changes in teams. The Ukrainian-based company said its brand partners have continued to fulfill their obligations so players and staff can continue to be paid.
“We believe that when the war is over, we will return to our office and together we shall continue to develop NAVI further on,” the statement said.
The organizations esports teams are still actively competing across multiple titles.
