 Kutevera kufa kwaMuchinda Mukuru Igor muna 945, mudzimai wake Olga akatonga somutongi muKiev kusvikira mwanakomana wavo Sviatoslav asvika pakukura c. 963. Kutonga kwake kwamakore gumi paRus kwakaratidzirwa nokuwedzera nokukurumidza kupfurikidza nokukunda kwavaKhazars vePontic steppe nokupinda muBalkans. Pakupera kwoupenyu hwake hupfupi, Sviatoslav akazviitira nyika huru zvikurusa muEurope, pakupedzisira achichinja dzimbahwe rake kubva kuKiev kuenda kuPereyaslavets paDanube muna 969. Mukupesana nekutendeuka kwaamai vake kuchiKristu, Sviatoslav, kufanana nedruzhina yake, akaramba ari muhedheni akasimba. Nokuda kworufu rwake rwekukurumidza mumusungo muna 972, kukunda kwaSviatoslav, nokuda kwechikamu chikuru, hakuna kusimbiswa muumambo hunoshanda, apo kukundikana kwake kugadzira chigaro chakasimba kwakatungamirira kumhirizhonga pakati pevanakomana vake, izvo zvakaguma nekuurawa kwevanakomana vake vatatu. 