Svetoslav Ivanov Slavkov was born on September 17, 1992 in the city of Sofia (Bulgaria).
He began to actively support “Levski” in Sector B at the age of 13.
For some time he was a representative of the team “Sofia West” (“Levski”) and in a few years stopped active activity there. Svetoslav was also one of the instructors in the first hall of the capital's movement on fitness and martial arts.
Teammates recall that Svetoslav treated old and young fans of the capital team with care. This was an example of his commitment to the common cause, and the pay off were the smiles and athletic performance of his wards. Money was not the most important thing in his worldview, and he viewed it only as a means to buy food and delight loved ones with a delicious breakfast or dinner. Being comprehensively developed, Svetoslav loved to create culinary masterpieces.
Friends recall that “Svet” had authority and respect not only in the Levski sectors, but also among the supporters of other Bulgarian clubs. He was also an active participant in the Bulgarian nationalist movement. Cheerful and always smiling, Svetoslav was ready to participate in good deeds 24/7. I did everything with desire and enthusiasm. And so that he did not start - the result always came.
Svetoslav also took care of his dogs and was very fond of animals. Friends recall the saying “Man is told by his attitude to animals.”
In the summer of 2023, Svetoslav decided to go to Ukraine. Like-minded people helped raise funds for equipment. In the fall, he had already joined the ranks of the “Carpathian Sich”, was a fighter of the 40th Separate Rifle Battalion “Kodak” as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Thus Svetoslav was one of the few volunteers against the background of the general passivity of the Bulgarian people. At home, not everyone understood his heroic act. “Svet” itself said that it is fighting not only for the freedom of the Ukrainian people, but also for the freedom of Bulgaria. He understood that Ukraine was not the last frontier in Europe against the sworn occupier. He studied the Ukrainian language.
Since December 24, 2022, he was on the front line in the Kharkiv region, and on the 31st he went to perform tasks in the “gray zone” near Kupyansk (Kharkiv region) as part of a group of 20 people. Unfortunately, in the following days, four fighters from the group were surrounded near the village. Sinkivka and died in close combat with the enemy. Among them, Svetoslav Slavkov, whose body has not yet been transferred to his father.
- “Svetoslav was a fan of “Levski” Sofia, a true patriot of Bulgaria and a courageous person who, in a difficult time for us, went to the aid of Ukraine. His feat is sacred for the whole of Europe, he is the personification of heroism and devotion to his ideals,” Dynamo Kyiv fans wrote on their pages.
Bulgaria's nationalist movement was in great mourning after the news of the death of its famous representative. Fans of various Bulgarian clubs paid tribute to the fallen warrior.
In January 2023, the head coach of the youth team of Ukraine and the club “Oleksandriya” handed the flag of Ukraine to the Bulgarian coach Nikola Kostov, in gratitude for the help of Ukrainians in the war against the aggressor and in memory of the deceased fan. In February of the same year, Shakhtar and Levski players lit a banner in the colors of the flags of Bulgaria and Ukraine before a friendly match.
Banners remind of Svetoslav Slavkov's feat in the fan sector during each home match of Levski.
