Nikita cmtry Samolotov has been performing on the professional CS scene for several years now and has made a name for himself as a player with great potential. In an interview with Bo3.gg, Nikita talked about the beginning of his career and the goals of NAVI Junior, as well as speculated about a possible transition to the main roster of Natus Vincere.

Tell us, how did you start playing CS, and what inspired you to become a professional?

I think, like many others: there was an old computer at home, and I started playing CS 1.6. Even back then, there were many famous teams like NAVI and Fnatic — I watched their games on YouTube and got hooked. Then I played CS:Source for about two years. When my parents got a new computer, I started playing CS:GO — first matchmaking, public games, arenas. Then I moved to FACEIT, quickly raised my ELO, started meeting players, playing leagues, hubs. I followed esports and wanted to try myself in team play. That's how I first got into NAVI Youth, and later — into NAVI Junior.

Did you play in any stacks before NAVI Junior?

Yes, there were different stacks, mixes. I was invited, played a bit, and left — it was unstable.

How does the transition from Youth to Junior work in the NAVI academy system? Is it age or some gaming skills?

We got a new coach, dziugss, and other players came in. We played in Youth, and the Junior roster was unstable — they were constantly testing new players. In the end, they decided to transfer the three of us: me, dziugss, and froz1k, with coolio becoming the coach. That's how we got into Junior and started forming the team.

*NAVI Visa Academy is a joint project by NAVI and VISA, created to develop young and talented players in CS2. It was launched in July last year. 
Out of more than 350 applications, the NAVI Youth roster was formed: it included five players aged 14 to 17. They are coached by snatchie — a former professional esports player with extensive experience at the tier-1 level. 
Under his guidance, the young players have already played their first official tournaments and continue to improve to eventually join NAVI Junior. You can follow their progress on the club's YouTube channel.*

What is CS to you — a job, a hobby, or both?

For me, CS is 90% a hobby. I don't feel like it's a job. I just play because I like it. I want to get better and develop — it's interesting.

Why did you choose such a nickname? It translates to "cemetery," doesn't it?

Yes, you could say something like that. But initially, I didn't mean it that way. I was just experimenting with letters, came up with the nickname, started playing with it, and after a couple of days, I realized it resembled the word "cemetery." I thought about it and decided to keep it. Although sometimes I think about changing it, I haven't decided yet.

As a journalist, I'll say: it's terrible when pro players change their nicknames.

Yes, I think about that too. It's probably better not to change it, especially when you're already recognized.

Are there any snipers you look up to, watch demos of, or imitate?

Honestly, I don't have an idol. I just watch demos of different snipers, try to note interesting moves, how they play, how they move around the map. I take a little from each but play in my own style.

How do you train your individual skills? What do you do to develop as a player?

I just play a lot. Literally always in the game. But it's not only about training — it's important how you sleep, eat, and whether you exercise. It all matters.

Do you have any traditions before official matches? Maybe music or something else?

You could say it's a tradition that I change the color of my HUD before each game. Yesterday green, today yellow, tomorrow purple. Other than that, I listen to music, chat with the team, joke around, lift the mood. That's enough for me.

What do you do outside of CS? Any hobbies, sports, other games?

I like a bit of everything. Sometimes I watch soccer, basketball, play other games, meet friends, watch movies. Anything that's interesting.

What games do you play besides CS? Single-player, Dota 2, Valorant?

Absolutely anything. Sometimes I might play Dota 2, sometimes some co-op survival games with friends. The main thing is that it's interesting.

What would you advise young people who dream of becoming pro players? What's important, what should they focus on?

The main thing is talent. If you have it, you'll grow faster. But perseverance is also important. You don't have to watch 20 demos every day — just play as much as possible. Back in the day, I would come home from school and play 10 matches on FACEIT every day — that helped a lot.

How did your parents initially react to your CS passion, and how do they feel about it now?

At first, it was tough — they wanted me to study more. But over time, I started going to local LANs, winning prizes, and they began to understand that it's not just a game. When I joined NAVI and started earning, they were finally convinced. Now both my mom and dad watch every game of mine, understand the roles, maps, share emotions — it's cool.

You've already won online tournaments, but the results at YaLLa Compass Qatar 2025 were truly surprising. What do you think was the key factor in your success?

I think the main thing is how strong our players are individually. Each one can shoot well, move, understand the game. We prepared a lot, analyzed maps, worked on mistakes. Each player progressed — both individually and as a team. We really believed we could win the tournament. We have confidence, and it's always felt.

The atmosphere showed you were playing positively. Is everything really that good within the team?

Yes, we communicate a lot, both in-game and outside. We're friends. The atmosphere is always supportive and positive. We joke, encourage each other. It helps a lot.

In the group stage, you didn't lose a single map. Can it be said that the best-of-1 format worked in your favor?

Possibly. But, as I said, we just showed a high level. I think even in the best-of-3 format, we could have played calmly. We truly deserved the result in this tournament. We were strong.

What were the emotions after the victory? After all, you previously won simpler tournaments, and this was a completely different level.

The emotions were, of course, great. But, strangely enough, we didn't have a wild celebration. Everyone was happy, discussed the game moments, and the next day we already had a new tournament. So we didn't relax for long. But we were very happy, of course.

What stood out about the final itself?

It was intense. ENCE played the first map well, often outplaying us. We gave away important rounds. But there were clutch moments — I, for example, won 1v2, dziugss clutched 1v3. That helped turn the tide. The second map was easier — we found our rhythm, took round after round, and just closed out the opponent.

What are the current goals for NAVI Junior? Just grinding tier-2, or are there more serious ambitions?

Of course, there are more serious goals. Sometimes the main NAVI roster skips tournaments, and we try to get into those. The main goal was to get into the top-20 VRS. After YaLLa Compass, we shot up in the rankings, and this opens up new opportunities.

If the main roster declines invites — we'll definitely go. We really want to play on LAN and prove that we can compete with tier-1 teams.

There are a lot of rumors now that you're being considered as a possible replacement for w0nderful in the main NAVI roster. What was your first reaction when you heard about this?

I smiled. Of course, it's nice. It's encouraging that I'm being considered as a potential tier-1 team player. Even if it's just rumors — it's still inspiring. It means I'm on the right track. As far as I know, I'm not officially being considered right now. The club decides everything.

And if an offer from NAVI comes right now, are you ready?

Yes, I'm ready. I would gladly accept. I've dreamed of playing for NAVI since childhood. I'm sure it will be tough at first. But I think I can handle the pressure and adapt.

And if an offer from NAVI doesn't come in a year or two? Are there any other organizations you'd like to join?

Honestly, there are no specific priorities. I'm interested in all teams. I think if it doesn't work out with NAVI, I'll go to any strong tier-1 team. The main thing is a lineup with which you can win something.

There's another interesting thought circulating in the community. Allegedly, after the major, some tier-1 organization that's not doing well might buy the entire NAVI Junior roster along with the coach. They say it would be a profitable investment — promising growth, potential resale of players in the future. Do you think such a scenario is realistic? Or is it more likely that each of you will go your own way?

Yes, such an option is certainly possible. There's a lot of talk about it now. It makes sense: we have a young, cohesive, and progressing lineup, and such things are always valued in CS. We've already shown that we can beat serious teams, and if someone wants to buy us all as a project — it could be a good investment. But for now, these are just hypotheses. Time will tell how it will really be.

And finally, do you want to say something to those who follow you?

I want to say thank you to everyone who supports us, who believes in us. I see how many people subscribe, write kind words after our victories — it really motivates.