Before the start of Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024, we managed to talk to the Ukrainian sniper Volodymyr "Woro2k" Veletnjuk. We spoke with Volodymyr right before his first game day for Heroic. We asked him about his mood for this tournament and about his former organization, Monte.

Before the start of Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024, the Heroic team announced further visa issues with their main sniper. As a result, the team began looking for a replacement for the tournament. They found one in former player of the Ukrainian club MONTE, Volodymyr "Woro2k" Veletnjuk.

How are you doing? How did you spend your time without a team?

I had a vacation, like everyone else. The season ended for everyone, Monte and I resolved everything, and we parted ways. I didn't have any specific plans for a team, but ten days ago, I was contacted and asked if I could play at BLAST Premier: Fall Groups 2024. I said I could, but BLAST prohibited such a move. Then they asked me if I could play Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024 because there were visa issues.

They contacted Monte, made all the arrangements, and I came here. I drove here, 2,000 kilometers. It took me 6 hours to get to Krakow and another 6.5 hours from Krakow. But I also stood at the Ukrainian border for 7 hours. It took me a whole a day to get here.

Did you have enough time to get into shape?

I grinded on Faceit with the guys. I couldn't do it every day, but I played quite often. I spent one day traveling, and in the last two days, we played a lot, so I'm in good shape. The Play-in stage is the hardest, so it will be a good warm-up.

Do you see this tournament as an opportunity to make a name for yourself on the pro scene or maybe even stay with Heroic?

I don't think about the future and staying. Life will show everything. But speaking about the tournament itself, I want to give my 200%. We have every chance to beat many teams. I come to every tournament regardless of our mood or problems. I always want to win as many matches as possible, progress further, and win the tournament. There's always motivation.

Also, I’ve hungered for official games, I haven't played in a long time. I miss this drive.

What do you think about your opponents? You have 3DMax, MIBR, and 9z on your way.

The bracket is quite good, our roster is quite strong, so I approach any Play-in bracket with confidence. Of course, you shouldn't underestimate anyone, in any case, we prepare for everyone to avoid unnecessary problems.

Our game against MIBR tomorrow will show everything. We won't play perfectly, of course, but if we enjoy ourselves, everything will work out calmly.

How did your exit from the MONTE team go? Who initiated this event?

Sorry, I can't talk about that. But I must say that we parted on very good terms. No one is mad at anyone, and I hope no one is mad at me. So, everything is good between us.

What do you think about their new roster?

From a business perspective, it's a good idea. The Polish audience is quite large, and there is a chance that Polish sponsors will come. If the team doesn't shine at first, the organization will still survive.