“Our families are part of Ukraine” – KyivPride brings thousands onto Kyiv streets for annual march
A KyivPride march gathered around 5,000 participants in central Kyiv on Sunday, according to organizers, bringing together LGBTQ+ people, military personnel, veterans, human rights defenders, diplomats, civil society groups, and supporters from across Ukraine.
The march carried the slogan “Our families are part of Ukraine.” Organizers described it as both a public demonstration and a statement on legal and social recognition of LGBTQ+ people in Ukrainian society during wartime.
Alongside the march, organizers outlined the following demands to Ukrainian authorities:
- Do not adopt the draft of the new Civil Code, as it contains discriminatory provisions and contradicts Ukraine’s obligations under European integration. Instead, ensure implementation of transformation roadmaps with the involvement of LGBTQ+ organizations as full partners in the reform process.
- Recognize civil partnerships for military personnel and civilians as an important step toward marriage equality, harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with European equality standards, and fulfillment of Ukraine’s obligations under European Court of Human Rights rulings.
- Introduce fair criminal liability for crimes motivated by intolerance, including homophobia and transphobia, by improving the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
- Bring Ukraine’s medical legislation on gender transition in line with modern standards and the WHO ICD-11 classification. Simplify the procedure for official document changes for transgender people.
The event lasted about two hours and covered roughly 1.2 kilometers through the city center. The march started near the Red Building of Taras Shevchenko National University and proceeded along Taras Shevchenko Boulevard and Yevhen Chykalenko Street, ending near the Ploshcha Ukrainskykh Heroiv metro station.
Event disrupted by Russian attack on Kyiv
The event reportedly faced disruption after an air raid alert was issued in Kyiv. A rare daytime Russian attack triggered explosions heard across the capital, and Ukrainian air defense systems were activated. Participants dispersed from the area as a precaution while the alert was ongoing.
The gathering took place under wartime security conditions that have repeatedly affected public events in Kyiv, where air raid alerts and drone or missile threats frequently interrupt civic activity.
KyivPride events in Ukraine have continued during the full-scale war, with organizers framing them as part of broader democratic and rights-based expression even under sustained security risks.
