Yakova, whose nom de guerre was "Ivanka",[1] participated in the killings of several German and Bulgarian military officers operational, including the murder of the chief of the Bulgarian Police, Atanas Pantev and Lieutenant general Hristo Lukov.

Together, Yakova and Anjel Vagenstein burned the Sofia Leather Jackets Factory in 1942, which produced uniforms for the German forces.

Also, together with Leon Kalaora and Dano Albahara,[4] formed a fighting cell which assassinated well-known antisemites and nazi informers.

Out of these, Yakova was considered the most skilled fighter, who murdered Lieutenant General Hristo Lukov[1][5] and the chief of the Bulgarian Police, Colonel Atanas Pantev.

In 1970, Vulo Radev produced a movie called Черните ангели (Black Angels), whose plot is about the assassination of Bulgarian military officers by young communist partisan fighters, in which Yakova and other communist women take a central role.