Team Spirit manager Dmitry "korb3n" Belov commented on the rumors surrounding the possible replacement of carry Ilya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk with Ivan "Pure" Moskalenko. According to the manager, the option with Pure was indeed considered, but only during the period when Yatoro was inactive.
Negotiations with Pure took place in the fall of 2024 – after The International 2024, when Yatoro, along with Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov and coach Airat "Silent" Gaziev, went on a break. korb3n acknowledged that Pure was a "simple and obvious option" for the carry role, but an agreement could not be reached: according to the manager, top players are reluctant to agree to come in as replacements.
Korb3n himself described the situation directly:
There were negotiations about different players. I think it won't be a secret if I say that, for example, we were in negotiations with Pure.
In the end, Spirit opted for the young Alan "Satanic" Gallyamov, who quickly became a notable figure in the roster. However, in early January 2026, Yatoro unexpectedly returned, and the club had to make a tough decision – Satanic was sent to the bench, and the carry position was once again taken by the two-time champion of The International.
That is why there is currently no talk of replacing Yatoro with Pure. korb3n emphasized that the choice was made "in favor of a more experienced and established player, in favor of a legend of the organization." The manager also noted that he prefers to work with those he knows well – both in terms of gameplay and character.
Let us remind you that earlier dyrachyo analyzed in detail Pure's playstyle at BLAST Slam VII, calling him one of the most aggressive carries in the scene. Pure himself remains one of the most discussed players in the region, so the interest from top clubs in him is quite understandable.