Ukrainian antifascist, punk, and anarchist Bodya Slem was killed in action. He died on May 19 near Huliaipole. In 2022, following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bodya voluntarily joined the Ukrainian resistance against the Russian occupying forces.
It has only now become possible to make this information public.
Huliaipole is the historic center of the Makhnovist movement. Bodya fought there, defending the lands of Makhnovshchina from Russian occupying forces.
Photos circulated online showing Bodya holding an anarchist flag beside the monument to Nestor Makhno in Huliaipole. Some time later, the monument was destroyed in Russian bombing.
In one of the photographs, Bodya is wearing a “Death to Tyrants” T-shirt depicting Putin, marked with the Z symbol, being beheaded by the animated figure of the Motherland Monument. The monument was erected to commemorate the resistance of the peoples of the Soviet Union against the Nazi invasion during World War II.
The T-shirt was distributed by “Black Square” in support of Ukrainian antifascists.
In one of the photographs shared with us by Bodya’s friends, he is taking a selfie in front of a mural depicting Nestor Makhno. The mural was created in Zaporizhzhia in 2023 by the well-known Ukrainian anarchist artist Davyd Chychkan.
According to Davyd Chychkan, the mural was dedicated to anarchists who are today fighting against the Russian imperial war machine.
Davyd also volunteered to join the armed resistance and was killed in the summer of 2025.
The eco-anarchist project Ecological Platform recalls how Bodya fought against the far right in the streets, fought heroically against Russian imperialists on the front lines, and remained true to his beliefs until the end:
“The best machine gunner, a punk, the strongest among the alternative scene. An anarchist, a pirate, an illegalist.
Since our youth, we fought together in the streets, painted graffiti, hiked in the mountains, trained together, and hung out at concerts. We spent most of the war side by side.
You were always brave and full of life. You loved it — shooting, having chosen armed struggle as your way of resisting empire.
It is deeply bitter that you are no longer with us, Bodya.”
Bodya was supported by the volunteer project Solidarity Collectives. They note that after beginning his service as a machine gunner, he later transitioned to aerial reconnaissance. They also add:
“Without him, it was hard to imagine the hardcore community and punk shows in Kharkiv.”
The punk community of his hometown Kharkiv — “Kharkiv Hardcore” — in 2024 published a post organizing a fundraising campaign for a car for Bodya.
The post noted that his call sign “Slam” was not chosen by chance:
“For many years, Bodya missed almost no hardcore/punk show in Kharkiv and was always fiercely throwing himself into the mosh pit, fully surrendering to this kind of ‘exorcism’ in front of the stage.”
It is also mentioned that in 2019 he appeared in a music video by the punk band Bezlad.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Bodya continued to “slam,” but no longer in clubs — instead, on the front lines. In March, he volunteered and joined “Kaifariki.”
Kaifariki is a formation of anti-fascist ultras of Kyiv football club Arsenal on the front line.
In a memorial post by Kharkiv Hardcore, it is also said:
“He came into the scene as a teenager. He rarely missed a single concert, quickly became part of the punk community, and a few years later was already helping with security at many events.
We will miss this guy deeply. Without him, Kharkiv Hardcore will never be the same.”
Support for his family can be provided via the link.
As part of a solidarity event organized with our support, we directed part of the funds to cover expenses related to Bodya’s death.
