Themes by tag: Kyiv
On June 21, Kyiv will hold the KyivPride March—a peaceful march for equal rights for all, regardless of who they love or who they are. This year’s KyivPride March marks a jubilee, being the tenth one. The main demand of KyivPride this year is the recognition of LGBTIQ+ families, an issue that has become critically urgent for many during the full-scale war.
Right now, a new Civil Code is being adopted in Ukraine—and instead of finally recognizing same-sex families, it introduces new forms of discrimination.
Therefore, the KyivPride March will put forward four demands to the authorities:
- Reject the draft of the new Civil Code, as it contains discriminatory provisions and contradicts Ukraine’s European integration commitments. Instead, ensure the implementation of transformation roadmaps involving LGBTIQ+ organizations as full partners in the reform process.
- Recognize civil partnerships for both military personnel and civilians as a step toward marriage equality, alignment of legislation with European standards, and the fulfillment of Ukraine’s obligations under the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights.
- Introduce fair criminal liability for hate crimes, specifically homophobia and transphobia, by amending the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
- Implement legal gender recognition based on self-determination, without mandatory hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or psychiatric diagnosis.
This year, the march will feature several organized blocs, including a transgender bloc, a KharkivPride bloc, and a bloc of LGBTIQ+ military personnel, veterans, and their families.
Invited guests include diplomats, ambassadors, representatives of international missions, and lawmakers. The KyivPride March will be the culmination of Pride Month, which has already gathered thousands of people at KyivPride Park.
The march will move through the center of the capital. At the final stop, the community will enjoy a dance performance by the ballroom community.
Media accreditation is required to attend the event.
Background: KyivPride is a non-governmental organization working to promote equality and human rights in Ukraine, and to strengthen the impact of civil society and the LGBTIQ+ community on the country’s path toward European Union integration.
On June 21, the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War (Museum of the War) will host a meeting with released prisoner of war Mykyta Markitanov, poet Oksana Stomina—the wife of Dmytro Paskalov, a released defender of Azovstal—and artist Maryna Sochenko, who depicts prisoners of war in her works.
Despite health issues, Mykyta volunteered for the war in July 2023. He fought in the Avdiivka direction and was captured in February 2024. According to the soldier, he and other POWs were “sold” to Chechnya for forced labor. Mykyta Markitanov spent nearly two years in captivity, finally returning home on April 24, 2026. During his time in russian dungeons, he wrote a series of poems dedicated to the war and captivity, which he managed to smuggle out by hiding them in his shoes.
Oksana Stomina is a poet and public activist from Mariupol, as well as the author and editor of numerous poetry collections about the war, which have been translated into German, Italian, English, Spanish, Lithuanian, and Czech. In May 2026, her husband Dmytro Paskalov, an Azovstal defender who had been held in captivity since May 2022, was finally released from russian captivity.
Maryna Sochenko is a well-known artist, volunteer, and Honored Artist of Ukraine, whose son Lyubomyr volunteered for the front line and was killed in action. She created a gallery of works, dedicating many of them to her sons—the defenders of Ukraine.
Since the beginning of the war, she has been active as a volunteer. She drew wounded soldiers in ATO hospitals and visited the front lines several times, bringing back more than a hundred portraits of Ukrainian heroes and defenders. Among her works, those dedicated to the captured defenders of Azovstal stand out significantly.
At the meeting, Mykyta Markitanov and his family will share the story of his life and military journey, and read his poetry written in captivity. Oksana Stomina and Maryna Sochenko will speak about their creative experiences inspired by the stories of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
Tag is about movement, contact, passing something on, and creating a safe space — and then repeating the cycle. This logic of shared, continuous action has become the metaphor and central theme of the closing event of the project “Strengthening Comprehensive Reintegration Support for Returned Children.”
When it comes to reintegrating a child who has experienced occupation, forced displacement, or isolation in frontline communities, there are no minor details. Every part of the process matters. It involves everyone — from a school psychologist and a community case manager to relevant ministries. If one link in the chain fails, a child may be left alone with trauma whose effects can last for years. That is why the event aims to bring together all stakeholders involved in the process on a single platform, with the child’s own voice serving as the starting point.
Topics for discussion:
- Teenagers Tymofii, Olia and Serhii will share their personal experiences. The discussion will be moderated by Kyrylo Nevdokha, Head of the “DIYMO” Children and Youth Office under Ukraine’s Ministry of Social Policy.
- The launch of a school-based reintegration mentoring programme as a systemic response to the challenges of war.
- The experience of psychologists, case managers and social workers.
- Presentation of the analytical study “Returning Childhood: Psychological Support for Children on the Path to Reintegration,” focusing on the psychological and psychosocial reintegration of children in Ukraine.
Panel discussions will feature representatives of government institutions, international organizations and experts, including Olena Rozvadovska (co-founder of the charitable foundation Voices of Children), Iryna Tuliakova (Coordination Center for the Development of Family-Based Care), Oleksandra Dvoretska (the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative), Van Chi Pham (UNICEF Ukraine), Anastasiia Konovalova (Deputy Minister of Education and Science), and Member of Parliament Roman Hryshchuk.
Participants will also be able to explore children’s stories through the photo exhibition “A Thread: Transformation Instead of Brokenness,” created by the Voices of Children charitable foundation together with photographer Marta Syrko.
The event will take place in Kyiv on June 23. Journalists can review the full programme of the event. Accreditation is required to attend.
Participants:
– Natalia Butyrska, expert on the Asia-Pacific region, senior analyst at the New Europe Center;
– Takashi Hirano, journalist at the national news agency UKRINFORM;
– Yuriy Poita, senior associate analyst at MERICS (online);
– Hanna Hopko, chair of the board of the “ANTS” Network for the Protection of National Interests;
– Moderator: Serhiy Solodkyi, Director of the New Europe Center.
Topics for discussion:
– Global geopolitical shifts, the energy crisis caused by the war in the Middle East, and changes in Washington’s policy as factors influencing Asian partners’ support for Ukraine;
– Why support from Asian partners cannot be taken for granted and requires ongoing effort;
– Ukraine and Taiwan: limitations on cooperation and the influence of China’s position;
– Why Japan and South Korea consider it necessary to maintain channels of communication with russia despite their support for Ukraine;
– Ukraine’s strategy regarding its Asian flank: how to ensure long-term support.
The event will feature simultaneous interpretation into English.
Dmytro Yehizarov (“Kok”) was a participant in the Revolution of Dignity, an entrepreneur, a loving husband, and a father of three. On January 5, 2023, he joined the defense of the Motherland as part of the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Serving as a Stugna anti-tank missile system operator, he carried out combat missions in the Zaporizhzhia and Pokrovsk directions. Despite suffering a spinal injury, concussions, and a shrapnel wound, he constantly returned to duty to fight against the occupiers.
On June 20, 2024, Dmytro was killed in action in the village of Peremoha, Donetsk Region. Before his death, he destroyed four units of enemy armored vehicles and damaged two tanks, halting an enemy mechanized assault.
Dmytro’s brother, Roman, launched a petition to posthumously award the Defender the title of Hero of Ukraine, which quickly gathered the required number of signatures. On June 3, 2026, the President issued the corresponding decree.
The memory of the warrior has been immortalized with a memorial plaque at School No. 177 in Kyiv, at the museum of Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University, and in the M. M. Hryshko National Botanical Garden, where a memorial bench was installed and a maple tree was planted in Dmytro’s honor in the Indonesian Garden.
The memorial event will be attended by the soldier’s mother Alla Ihorivna, his wife Olena, his daughter Daria, his brother Roman, his friends Andrii and Kyrylo, and his colleague Olha. Speeches will be delivered by Olha Korabliova, a representative of the Scientific Council of the Botanical Garden, and Mykola Haponiuk, Deputy Head of the Department of Finance at KNEU.
Media accreditation is required to attend the event.
This event aims to raise awareness of traditional music and the culture of Ukrainian folk dance. It seeks to bring together a highly diverse audience, ranging from enthusiasts and historical reenactors to anyone interested in Ukrainian cultural heritage. “TantsKultura” establishes a new tradition of gatherings centered around folk dance. It also aims to build upon the previous efforts of colleagues (primarily the “Ivan Honchar Museum”), who organized major dance events until 2019.
The “TantsKultura” stage will feature performances by:
- The Children’s Brass Capella from the Vinnytsia region,
- “Silska Muzyka” (Rivne),
- “DvaTry” (Kyiv),
- “ShchukaRyba” (Kyiv),
- “Oreli” (Kyiv),
- A special collaboration with the FusionJam formation.
The program includes:
- Dance masterclasses focusing on local Ukrainian traditions;
- Panel discussions featuring researchers, practitioners in the field, and cultural influencers;
- A children’s zone with interactive programs, traditional games, and workshops.
A donation drive and a charity auction will be held as part of the festival. All proceeds will be donated to meet the current needs of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
For reference: The “KYT” Performance Pavilion became a partner of the event, providing its venue free of charge to support the development and promotion of traditional Ukrainian culture.
In Kyiv, civilians are invited to join a military training program organized by the Khartia-Hub and the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine “Khartia.”
During the training, instructors will teach weapon handling, group cohesion, tactical medicine, operation planning, after-action analysis, topography, and other essential military disciplines.
Registration is required to participate in the event.
On June 15, the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO) will host a new “Defence Talks” panel discussion in Kyiv, focusing on the future of Ukrainian defence exports and Ukraine’s strategic positioning within the global arms market.
In recent years, the global defence market has been undergoing a massive transformation. russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine has reshaped manufacturing approaches, the pace of technological innovation, and cooperation between state entities and private defense manufacturers. Nations worldwide are increasingly investing in unmanned systems, robotic complexes, software, autonomous solutions, and novel formats of defence partnerships. Real combat experience has emerged as a cornerstone of global competitiveness.
Under these circumstances, Ukraine finds itself in a unique position: while the state remains one of the world’s largest consumers of military equipment, Ukrainian manufacturers have developed cutting-edge technologies and operational practices that are already drawing significant interest from international partners.
In April, Ukraine launched the “Drone Deal” framework — a cooperation format that entails not only the export of Ukrainian-made armaments but also the joint development of new technologies and the transfer of Ukrainian battlefield expertise. The first agreement has already been signed with Lithuania, and work with other European partners is ongoing.
The Defence Talks session will explore the development of Ukraine’s arms export market, the solutions and technologies Ukrainian manufacturers can offer to global partners, and the requirements for making this cooperation systematic and mutually beneficial. Panelists will also discuss how to maintain a sustainable balance between frontline requirements, domestic manufacturing growth, and Ukraine’s integration into the global defence architecture. Special emphasis will be placed on the practical experience of Ukrainian enterprises and military units, which already commands international attention.
Speakers include:
- Denys Svyatokum — Board Member and Head of the International Cooperation Committee of the “Defence” Association of Ukrainian Employers;
- Anastasia Mishkina — Managing Director of the Technological Forces of Ukraine;
- Anton Melnyk — Representative of the “Mits” (Might) Defence Fund and Co-founder of the Techcosystem business alliance;
- Yaroslav Honchar — Co-founder and Chairman of the “Aerorozvidka” NGO;
- Oleksandr Kopyl — F-Drones;
- Oleksandr Yabchanka — Head of the Robotic Complexes Service of the “Da Vinci Wolves” Battalion.
Moderator: Tetiana Nikolaenko, Senior Researcher at NAKO and Deputy Head of the Public Anti-Corruption Council under the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
Event Language: Ukrainian with simultaneous English translation. For security reasons, the exact venue will be disclosed exclusively to registered participants.
Background Information: “Defence Talks” is a signature discussion series by NAKO that brings together state officials, defence industry representatives, civil society leaders, the diplomatic corps, and media professionals to address key trends and challenges within Ukraine’s security and defence sector.
The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO) is a non-governmental organization dedicated to strengthening Ukraine’s resilience against internal and external threats in sectors critical to national security through independent research, robust advocacy, and public awareness initiatives.
David Plaster is a former US military medic. After retiring from service, he traveled to more than 100 countries. In 2012, he decided to settle in Ukraine. In 2014, during the Revolution of Dignity, David treated the wounded on the Maidan.
Following the outbreak of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO), David trained Ukrainian service members in tactical combat casualty care (TCCC) and prepared instructors to pass on these crucial skills. Back then, a language barrier hindered David’s work, as he had to communicate through gestures with those who did not speak English. Today, the veteran is already fluent in Ukrainian.
Additionally, in 2014, he founded the “Anomaly” non-governmental organization, which provides humanitarian aid, conducts training sessions in both tactical medicine and English, and supports veterans and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Each month, the NGO’s team trains between 400 and 800 people in tactical medicine.
Interviews and conversations with David Plaster can be arranged both online and in-person in Kyiv, subject to prior agreement.
KyivPride Park, a charity and educational event that traditionally marks the beginning of the capital’s Pride celebrations ahead of the Equality March, will take place in Kyiv on June 14. The event will run throughout the day. Admission will be granted in exchange for a voluntary donation to UNITED24’s fundraising campaign for air defence. A community advocating for its own rights also contributes daily to the security of the entire country, making support a two-way effort.
This year, the organisers of KyivPride Park, the NGO KyivPride, have been joined by partners including the NGO Ukrainian LGBT+ Military and Veterans for Equal Rights, KharkivPride, PinchukArtCentre, the Sunny Bunny queer film festival, the Linoleum animation festival, the Memorial NGO, Underwood Brewery and others.
KyivPride Park will feature several spaces operating simultaneously, offering a range of activities for visitors. The programme will include DJ sets, among them Past Curfew with a mix of house, trance and techno, as well as an acoustic performance by Okolytsia.
Two panel discussions will also take place. The first, titled “How to Create Vibrant Queer Communications”, will bring together creators of LGBTIQ+ YouTube channels, Instagram pages and magazines to discuss how to speak about queerness on social media and how to deal with online hate. The second discussion, “Why Transgender Identity Is Not a Way to Avoid Military Service?”, will be moderated by Leon, a transgender man and blogger. Panellists will include Emilia, a transgender veteran, and endocrinologist Ilona Khanko, author of a book about gender transition in Ukraine.
The cinema area will screen animated films from the Linoleum festival and short films presented by Sunny Bunny, followed by discussions where audiences will be able to ask questions to directors.
KyivPride will create a memorial space together with the Memorial NGO, where visitors will be able to remember those who are no longer with them and tie ribbons bearing their names. Psychologists will also be available nearby for those who need immediate support.
The theme of those who serve will run throughout the entire day. LGBT military personnel are active partners of the event. Their presence will be reflected in various parts of the programme, from discussions about military service to a dedicated area where field porridge will be offered in exchange for donations and merchandise supporting veterans will be available.
Background: This year’s KyivPride will take place across two key dates. KyivPride Park, the charity and educational event, will be held on June 14. On June 21, the KyivPride March will take place in the centre of the capital in support of equal rights for all citizens regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
About the organisers: KyivPride is a non-governmental organisation working to advance equality and human rights in Ukraine and to strengthen the influence of civil society and the LGBTIQ+ community in the country’s path towards integration into the European Union.
