Pride in Kharkiv: “We want this city to be a European city”

It may have been the first demonstration in a Ukrainian subway station. On Saturday, around 200 people gathered at the Universitet stop in the eastern Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv for Kharkiv Pride 2026. The organizers of the Pride march had kept the location of the event secret until recently. For safety reasons.

Only those who had previously registered could take part. On the one hand, the meeting was not intended to arouse the interest of the Russian army. On the other hand, they did not want to give the planned counter-demonstration the opportunity to block the venue. There would have been no better place for the opening event than the subway, as there was an air alert in the city at exactly that time.

The demonstrators demanded, among other things, legal recognition of registered partnerships for homosexual couples and more effective prosecution of hate crimes against members of sexual minorities. The participants carried several banners in rainbow colors.

Their posters contained slogans such as: “I am for freedom,” “Homophobia belongs to the Russian world,” and “Equal rights for all.” "This time we are again demanding equal rights for members of the LGBTQ community and the right to marry. We are doing Kharkiv Pride because we want this city to be a European city," spokeswoman Vira Chernigina told public broadcaster Suspilne.

After the opening rally in the subway, they went to Freiheitsplatz and then onto the streets. A number of police officers protected the demonstrators from the counter-demonstrators. It was precisely on Freedom Square, the largest city square in Ukraine, that the protest march was expected from right-wing radical “supporters of traditional family values” dressed in black.

"Putin is gay too. That's why he's proud of you," one of the black banners said. They also carried a rainbow flag with them. Towards the end of their counter-demonstration, they stepped on this flag and then set it on fire. At the end of the event, the Kharkiv Pride participants were taken to safe places in buses under police protection. From there they could then begin the journey home.

Kharkiv Pride had already started this week with a two-day festival. Among other things, there was a market where Kharkiv companies presented their products. There were lectures, panel discussions, workshops and first aid training. Visitors were also able to be tested for HIV, hepatitis B and C and syphilis free of charge. Some of the companies involved announced that they would donate part of their income to a support center that offers free support to LGBTQ+ people and women.

A focus of this year's Pride was the role of LGBTQ+ people in the Ukrainian armed forces. A memorial zone was set up at the festival with portraits and stories of fallen or missing soldiers. It was criticized that the bill on registered partnerships introduced into parliament in March 2023, which at least partially adopted the demands of the LGBT+ community, had still not been passed by the Verkhovna Rada, i.e. parliament.

This bill would regulate new forms of cohabitation for same-sex couples. Two adult people could then register their partnership, the assets acquired in the partnership would be joint assets and the partners could inherit from each other. If a partner dies or disappears, the remaining partner would also be able to assert social claims.

All of these provisions would be particularly important at this time of war. Although the bill is a step towards legal equality for LGBTQ+ couples, there is no mention of introducing same-sex marriage. Registered partnerships would also not be allowed to adopt if this bill becomes law.