KCB Maynter: “It will soon be over, and I’m still not ready for it”

On the first day of LFL Holy Days in the Arènes of Évry-Courcouronnes, I had the opportunity to chat with KCB Volodymyr “Maynter” Sorokin, following my interview with Yukino. The toplaner discussed about his team’s unfortunate run at the EM Winter, the situation in Ukraine as a hurdle on his way to the LEC and his approaching departure from KC.

Ethan: You’ve known the French crowd for a long time, especially the KC fans.

How was it to reunite with the fans?

Maynter: Those moments are obviously great. Usually, when I’m on stage, I need to adapt to crowds. I’m like: “Oh my God, it’s so loud, Oh my God, there’s so much noise.” But it was not a first time for me. That’s why I was kind of vibing. I was without headset, doing wrist exercises and I’m listening to the crowd, to my Blue Wall. It was some good vibes and a good mood before the game.

Ethan: I wanted to have your feeling on the EMEA Masters, because I saw you being kind of loud about it on your socials…

smn else will win this eum, but I dont see even 1 team who could win at least 1 map in bo5 vs our main roster
life is cool

— KC Maynter (@Maynter_LOL) March 21, 2025

Do you strongly believe that you would have smurfed the EMEA Masters with the main roster?

Maynter: It was a bit of an emotional tweet, but it’s absolutely true. Even with the second division guy (Nsurr) who is first time playing versus good teams, it’s a huge experience for him, right? And he did great. But still: new support, new jungle, they’re playing together for the first time in their life which is not the best for the synergy. And Nsurr couldn’t play much because he’s still in school. So we didn’t scrim at all, because of Isma playing with GIANTX as well. No bootcamp, no scrims, new support, new jungle. And even with all these conditions, we did 2-0 Los Ratones who won the final. At the very least, we would have won 3-1 in the final with Boukada and Piero, I think it would not be close.

Ethan: It’s been two years since you’ve joined the org.

How do you feel at Karmine Corp? Has it become a sort of second home?

Maynter: It’s hard to explain.

I feel like I won’t stay here for a long time. I was talking to my girlfriend and thinking that it will feel empty when I leave.

It will be something new for me and, I am not ready. Because every time I come to the same boot camp, to the same apartment and everything. I live in Ukraine, I come to Paris… I’ve had two homes and always switched. And now it will be like… Maybe like in six months, in one year… I don’t know, but it will soon be over, and I’m still not ready for it. So I’m trying to enjoy my time in KC.

Why do you think your time with KC is coming to an end? Will you soon move up to the LEC maybe?

Maynter: Yeah, I hope I will reach LEC. I’m working for it. And even if I don’t reach LEC, I think players that stay in academy for such a long time, it’s kind of not good even for the academy. So I think two years is enough and I will look for something new.

For the first time in my life I felt like I was part of something huge, part of a big mechanism that brings happiness and unites thousands of people
Je porterai toute ma vie les émotions que j'ai vécues à KCX dans mon cœur, merci les gars 🩵
(pls send photo with me, if u have🙏) pic.twitter.com/9FePexm6qO

— KC Maynter (@Maynter_LOL) November 11, 2024

Was the war in Ukraine a blocking factor for the LEC teams during your last off-season?

Maynter: Yeah, a lot of teams don’t understand how it works. And some teams understand and they’re still afraid of risks. But I’m trying my best to make it possible for me to live in Germany (the LEC Arena is in Berlin). To play games there, I need to always be offline. But obviously, I can’t guarantee 100% sometimes. I’m working on it. It’s kind of close to 100.

Some people, they’re just afraid to figure out about this.

For example, it was the tryout season for me. I ended up with KCB, but Galions were talking to me and they were like: “You’re still in Ukraine? Okay, we don’t consider players in Ukraine, sorry.” And I didn’t even get to tryout because they were like, so scared to take me. Some teams, even in the LFL, that don’t absolutely need offline, right? They were still like: “Oh, it’s a bit risky”. They like you, but, yeah… “See you”.

Do you have a message for the fans?

Maynter: It’s only about love. I’m enjoying moments with you guys. I will work harder. And I hope we will win more and more and more. Not only LFL, I want to win EMEA Masters at least once in my life. It should be time.