Kyiv Pride drone charity event takes place, faces counterprotest

A charity event for Kyiv Pride took place on June 7 outside the Foreign Ministry building and was met with a nearby counterprotest.

The event collected donations, with proceeds going toward FPV drones for Ukraine's Armed Forces provided by the Serhiy Sternenko Foundation.

On April 19, a clash broke out between police and far-right protesters outside the Zhovten cinema in Kyiv, where the Sunny Bunny LGBTQ+ film festival took place.

"This is a cultural and educational charity event. Today we will have several educational lectures, during which we will collect money for drones," Kyiv Pride organizers told local media.

Counterprotesters stood nearby, chanting anti-LGBTQ+ slogans as the Kyiv Pride charity event took place outside the Foreign Ministry building.

Kyiv Pride's previously planned event was cancelled amid police pressure on the National Expo Center of Ukraine (VDNG), the event organizers said.

"This year, the police did everything they could to cancel our event. They even intimidated the management of VDNG — the National Expo Center of Ukraine... Unfortunately, under such pressure, VDNG made the decision to cancel our event," Kyiv Pride said in a post to Facebook on June 6.

Public support for LGBTQ+ rights in Ukraine has grown in recent years, but the community continues to face frequent threats and violence, particularly from far-right groups. Events such as Pride marches and queer cultural festivals are often targeted by the far right.

A 2023 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that over 70% of Ukrainians believe LGBTQ+ people should have the same rights as others.

Kyiv Pride held a march in June 2024 for the first time since Russia began its full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022.

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