Ukrainian esports organization Balu Team has officially announced the suspension of its Dota 2 division and the release of its current roster. The main reason for this decision was the lack of desired results on the international stage.
During their time together, the team secured first place at the UESF Ukrainian Championship Stage 2 and Stage 3 tournaments, and also participated in the closed qualifier for the Esports World Cup 2026. Despite these achievements, the organization concluded that changes were necessary. Since management did not see any players on the market with whom they wanted to form a new roster at this time, the Dota division was put on pause.
Following the disbandment of the main roster, the status of the team's representatives has changed. Players Dmytro "d1man41g" Makhnivchyk, Artem "qute" Diachenko, Volodymyr "Akamu" Zakrzhevskyi, and Vitalii "kaeioet" Voiedilo have become free agents. The team's coach, Kostiantyn "Rakuzan" Malinin, has temporarily transitioned to the role of team ambassador.
Meanwhile, captain Andrii "chipikao" Demchyna remains under contract within the club's structure. Young player Denys "kiki" Saikevych, who was not previously part of the main roster, also remains with Balu Team.
The organization does not rule out returning to the discipline in the future. If a suitable opportunity and a quality pool of free agents appear on the market, the club will consider creating a new team, which will likely be built around Denys "kiki" Saikevych.
As a reminder, G2 Esports and Nongshim RedForce advance to the VALORANT Champions 2026 Shanghai playoffs