Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov has spoken about his October 2023 transfer to Natus Vincere, a move that came as a surprise given his recent signing with Sprout.

The transfer marked a significant career step for the young sniper. “For me, it was a complete surprise. I had just joined Sprout, and then they called me to NAVI,” w0nderful stated. “CS2 had just been released, it was a difficult time, but if they call you to NAVI – it’s impossible to refuse. I wanted to reach the next level.”

w0nderful ultimately replaced s1mple as NAVI’s AWPer. He went on to win the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 with the team, achieving a major career milestone shortly after his unexpected transfer.