Three years of reporting, funded by our readers — become a member now and help us prepare for 2025.
Goal: 1,000 new members for our birthday. Gift a membership to your friend and help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Become a member Gift membership
Skip to content
Edit post

Russian authorities targeted members of LGBTQ+ community in Kherson region

by Rachel Amran March 29, 2024 3:24 AM 2 min read
A woman wearing a face mask carries a rainbow flag during the Equality March KyivPride 2021 on Sept. 19, 2021. (Photo by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Russian occupation authorities targeted members of the LGBTQ+ community during the occupation of Kherson back in 2022, Ukrainian public organization Projektor announced on March 28.

Russia occupied parts of the Kherson region between March and November 2022. Throughout the occupation, the Russian military specifically sought out and targeted Ukrainian LGBTQ+ individuals.

Projektor indicates that abuses committed by the Russian military against this community could amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, including gender-based prosecution.

War crimes include acts such as deliberate attacks on civilians, attacks on cultural sites or medical institutions, torture, and deportations.

The report documented several instances, for example, in which Russian authorities forced men to undress at checkpoints and searched for tattoos of a rainbow image, as well as checked phones for gay dating apps.

Between March and Sept. 2023, Projektor interviewed 107 LGBTQ+ people who were victims or witnesses of these crimes.

LGBTQ+ victims did not contact Ukrainian law enforcement to report abuse by Russian authorities for fear of further ridicule. When the Projektor study began, the Kherson Office of the Attorney General had not investigated any war crimes against LGBTQ+ people living in the occupied territories.

Russia's crackdown on gay rights intensified following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Back in December 2022, the Russian State Duma passed legislation banning the public expression of LGBT identity.

Late last year, Russia's Supreme Court declared the "international LGBT social movement" to be an "extremist organization" and banned its activities.

Accordin to Veronika Plotnikova, the head of the Coordinating Center for Support of Victims and Witnesses of the Prosecutor General's Office, Ukraine has collected pretrial information on over 128,000 victims of war crimes.

Ukraine war latest: Kyiv says new Russian offensive could come in May or June
Key developments on March 28: * Zelensky: New Russian offensive may come in May or June * Kyiv dismisses reports about Russia’s preparations for Kharkiv offensive * Almost 1,800 Ukrainian children made orphans by Russia’s war * Security measures to be increased in Kyiv following missile strikes…
Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. Thanks to our community we've been able to keep our reporting free and accessible to everyone. For our third birthday, we're looking for 1,000 new members to help fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Three years. Millions of readers. All thanks to 12,000 supporters.
It’s thanks to readers like you that we can celebrate another birthday this November. We’re looking for another 1,000 members to help fund our mission, keep our journalism accessible for all, and prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. Consider gifting a membership today or help us spread the word.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
Become a member Gift membership
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

8:00 AM

Trump has consulted Hungary's Orban on Ukraine war, sources tell RFE/RL.

Hungarian government sources said that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump sought Viktor Orban’s opinion on strategies to end the Ukraine war. Orban, known for his close ties with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump, has openly criticized EU aid for Ukraine and obstructed sanctions against Moscow.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.