Aidyn “KrizzeN” Turlybekov, assistant coach of FURIA, found himself in extreme conditions while preparing for one of the most important matches of the season. After another night of Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, he was left without electricity and internet and was forced to work from a McDonald’s — the only nearby place with stable Wi-Fi and the ability to charge his laptop.
IEM Kraków semi-final — working from McDonald’s instead of home
The situation drew particular attention because of its timing. On the day of the IEM Kraków 2026 semi-final, when FURIA were fighting for a place in the grand final, KrizzeN had no choice but to work from a public space due to the lack of basic living conditions at home.
The assistant coach spoke openly about it on social media. His first post quickly went viral and spread across the entire CS community:
My team is playing the IEM Kraków semi-final today while I’m sitting at McDonald’s just because I can get internet and charge my laptop here. All of this because Russia continues destroying everything in Ukraine. We had a terrible night and I haven’t slept at all. Absurd.
KrizzeN lives in the Kyiv region and has dealt with power outages before, but this time the issue coincided with a key tournament day, when even minimal connection stability was critical for the team’s staff.
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“At least I’m not hungry”: irony against a harsh reality
In follow-up posts, KrizzeN tried to lighten the mood with irony. He noted that while the circumstances look absurd, at least he still had access to food and a working internet connection.
According to the specialist, he plans to make his home fully autonomous in terms of electricity and connectivity in the coming weeks to avoid similar situations in the future. However, even these plans do not hide the main point — the war directly interferes with the work of people who are far from the front line, but not from its consequences.
Community reaction: support, solidarity, and a sharp contrast of opinions
KrizzeN’s post gathered hundreds of thousands of views and sparked a wide reaction across the CS community. Most responses were words of support from players, talent, analysts, and fans from all over the world.
Among the reactions:
- “Support for Aidyn and all of us, dear Ukrainians!”
- “Positive vibes from Brazil to you, brother.”
- “Stay strong, KrizzeN ”
- “Thank you for bringing up this topic.”
- “You’re a warrior. Stay strong.”
A particularly large number of messages came from Brazil — FURIA’s home country — where fans actively expressed solidarity and support for the team’s staff.
At the same time, aggressive replies also appeared in the comments, including attempts to downplay the situation, shift the discussion into political arguments, or resort to personal attacks. This once again exposed the long-standing debate around the idea of “no politics in games,” which regularly resurfaces when real-world events directly affect esports.
Some users pointed out that KrizzeN’s situation is not about politics, but about reality — a reality in which war defines the basic conditions of life and work.
War and esports: a problem that does not disappear
Since 2022, the war between Russia and Ukraine has had a systemic impact on global esports. Visa issues, canceled or relocated tournaments, complex logistics, power outages, and internet disruptions have become part of everyday life for dozens of professionals on the scene.
KrizzeN’s case is another public example showing that behind bright LAN stages, packed arenas, and polished broadcasts, there are people forced to work under constant instability.
Context of the IEM Kraków semi-final
On the day of the post, FURIA were preparing for their semi-final match against Team Spirit. Against the backdrop of preparations for one of the most important matches of the season, the team’s assistant coach was working remotely from a public space — a contrast that only further highlighted the gap between the scale of the tournament and the reality of war.
KrizzeN’s story became more than just a viral post. It served as another reminder that for part of the esports community, issues of electricity, connectivity, and safety are not metaphors, but a daily struggle — even on the day of a major LAN tournament semi-final.
