Homophobic groups try to disrupt Kharkiv Pride; police stop them

Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…

This year’s Pride raised funds money for anti-tank missiles in addition to celebrating diversity.

In Ukraine, Kharkiv Pride offered lectures, open discussions, and a peaceful Pride march in support of equal rights and opportunities for all people. (Polina Kulish photo courtesy of Gwara Media)

Ukrainian police protected Pride celebrations in the city of Kharkiv on Aug. 30, according to local media.

LGBTQ+ festival KharkivPride 2025 begins in Kharkiv, police mitigate conflict with right-wing, Christian groups

At the opening of the festival, a group of people from right-wing, nationalist, and Christian organizations tried to disrupt the event.

Police, which, according to organizers, were in larger numbers than last year, blocked an entrance to the PrideHub, a community space where KharkivPride was held.

A right-wing group demanded to shut the festival down and accused the organizers of “spreading their propaganda.” A few hours later, after conversing with Anna Sharyhina, Pride activist and KharkivPride co-organizer, they left.

KharkivPride has been held in Kharkiv since 2019. Its program includes lectures, open discussions, and a peaceful Pride march in support of equal rights and opportunities for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

This year, its slogan is “Together, towards equality and victory.”

This year’s festival is also raising money for the Ukrainian military — specifically, an anti-tank missile complex for the 46th aeromobile brigade.

Police protected Kharkiv Pride from anti-LGBTQ protesters. (Polina Kulish photo courtesy of Gwara Media)

Kharkiv Pride has been held in Kharkiv since 2019. Its program includes lectures, open discussions, and a peaceful Pride march in support of equal rights and opportunities for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

The news site UNN.ua said the opponents of Pride consisted of “a group of radical youths”. UNN reported that police reacted promptly, prevented the homophobic protesters from reachinghte Pride site and broke up a sminor scuffle.

Russia’s anti-queer pressure forces LGBTQ+ support center to close

Kharkiv Pride organizers reported that they were warned that a group of “representatives of ultra-right organizations” might come to the festival from Kyiv to disrupt it, GwaraMedia said.

The program of this year’s festival includes educational events on LGBTQ+ rights, discrimination, and living during Russia’s war on Aug 30 and Aug 31, a remembrance day for fallen queer soldiers on Sept. 5, and a Pride car rally on Sept. 6.