Kyiv court rejects appeal, upholds Ukraine's first de facto recognition of same-sex couple as a family
The Kyiv Court of Appeal upheld a landmark ruling recognizing a same-sex couple as a family, human rights organization Insight LGBTQ reported on Sept. 10.
The case involves Zoryan Kis, first secretary of Ukraine’s Embassy in Israel, and his partner Tymur Levchuk, who have lived together since 2013, held a civil ceremony in 2017, and later married in the U.S. in 2021.
Kyiv's Desniansky District Court’s June 2025 decision established them as a family under Ukrainian law, a breakthrough given the country’s lack of legislation on same-sex partnerships.
The ruling came after Ukraine's Foreign Ministry initially refused to acknowledge Levchuk as Kis' family member, denying him spousal rights to accompany Kis on his diplomatic posting to Israel. In response, the couple filed a legal complaint in September 2024.
Evidence presented included shared finances, joint travel records, photo documentation, and testimony from neighbors confirming their long-term partnership.
Opponents attempted to appeal the ruling, arguing it undermined “traditional family values,” but the appellate court dismissed the complaint.
Activists hailed the verdict as “a step forward for the entire LGBTQ+ community,” stressing that while much work remains, Ukraine has moved closer to ensuring equality.
“We will continue to work so that in Ukraine, every family, regardless of the composition, receives proper protection and recognition,” Insight wrote.
The attitude of Ukrainians towards granting LGBTQ+ equal rights has been improving since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, according to polls.
Meanwhile, Russian legislation has since banned the public expression of LGBTQ+ identity in the country, while "the international LGBTQ+ social movement" was declared to be "an extremist organization."
Martin Fornusek
