Thousands of Ukrainian nationalist counter-protesters rallied in central Kyiv on Sunday, 21 June, during the overlapping Equality March organized by LGBT advocacy group KyivPride, producing a series of tense moments as the two crowds were separated by a heavy police presence.
Video footage circulating on social media showed anti-LGBTQ protesters dressed in black and carrying red-and-black flags associated with the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), the military wing of the fascist Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) led by Stepan Bandera.
According to reports, protesters chanted slogans about 'Ukrainian supremacy' and 'preserving the Aryan race', while wiping their feet on rainbow Pride flags.
One widely shared video featured a counter-protester shouting: "Putin is also a f*ggot, he’s proud of you," at participants in the Equality March, known also as the Kyiv Pride. While organizers presented the march as a demonstration in favour of 'equality and legal recognition' for same-sex couples and LGBT families, counter-protesters and many critics online argued that such efforts conflict with traditional Ukrainian culture, Christian values, and national identity, and are driven by Western NGOs.
The confrontation highlights a broader ideological divide that has existed in Ukraine for decades. Historically, the country has been among Europe’s most socially conservative societies regarding homosexuality and LGBT issues. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2015–2016, 86 per cent of Ukrainians believed homosexuality should not be accepted by society.
During the 2015 Equality March, anti-LGBT protesters attacked participants with smoke bombs and stones, injuring several police officers, while subsequent marches in 2017 and 2018 saw attempts by nationalist counter-protesters to break through police cordons protecting participants.
🇺🇦🏳️🌈 Ukrainian nationalists also gather in Kiev to protest
— The Other Side Media (@TheOtherSideRu) June 21, 2026
Carrying Nazi-linked UPA flags, they oppose an LGBT pride parade nearby and chant slogans about Ukrainian supremacy and preserving the Aryan race https://t.co/ezfeMLzx6b pic.twitter.com/7fII8XDABy