VARTOVI Cases

Documented hate crimes against LGBTQI+ individuals.

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cases

Documented cases of hate crimes against LGBTQI+ individuals.

Sources: direct reports from survivors and witnesses; media and social networks; and partnerships with institutions (police, the Ombudsperson’s Office).
Definition of a hate crime: criminally punishable acts committed with a bias motive based on SOGIESC (sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics) or other protected characteristics, in line with OSCE standards.

Lviv and the Region

Stalking and attempted attack on two women in Lviv.
A perpetrator threatened and extorted money after sex.
Assault on Andrii Plyskyi in Lviv, with threats involving a weapon.
Plast refused to accept Volodymyr Vizniak as an instructor due to pressure from homophobes.
Attack and stalking of an LGBTQI+ activist and TikTok blogger in Lviv.
Pride badge torn off a teenager and eyes sprayed with gas in Lviv.
Back splashed with paint in Lviv targeting a “rainbow shopper”.
Disruption of a lecture on queer issues in Lviv.
Attack on the Insight Community Center in Lviv.
Attack on the Insight Community Center in Lviv.

A transgender woman was not allowed to cross the border.
A lecturer refused to provide study materials to a student because of her transgender identity.
Cancellation of an event for Transgender Day of Visibility.
Plast refused to accept Volodymyr Vizniak as an instructor due to pressure from homophobes.

Church statements against the music video by Zhadan and Solovii.
A Lviv priest speaking out against Pride in Lviv.

Kyiv and the Region

Assault on Daniil Skrypnyk near a bar on January 1, Kyiv.
Graffiti reading “LGBT = Rusnya” on the Zhovten cinema.
Assault by neighbors on two gay men in Bucha.
Assault on a young man in a park after being asked, “Do you support faggots?”.
Domestic violence by a mother.
Disruption of a KyivPride lecture.
Attack on stand-up comedian Vesta Gunchenko.
Attack on Kostiantyn Omeliu near Kyrylivska Street.
Theft of a Pride flag from the “Informatyka” café.
Attack on a non-binary person near a metro station, targeting the lips and nails.
Attack on transgender individuals (Khelga).
Attack on Surykata.
Ana Babich and her partner were attacked in central Kyiv.
Driving a transgender man to suicide in Kyiv.
Eviction and assault.
Attack on a couple after Pride.
Attack on a transgender woman at CLOSER.
A man stalks and abuses his wife and her brother because of photos of her presenting in a feminine appearance.

Discrimination by police against survivors in case 13-01/25.
A printing house refused to print a flag for LGBTQI+ military personnel.
A dance teacher was dismissed following complaints from parents claiming he was “corrupting our children”.
Jokonda and LGBTQI+ military personnel.
A printing house refused to produce awards with the wording “LGBTQI+ military personnel”.
Police misconduct toward Surykat.
A taxi driver forced Oleh Maksymiak out of the car because of nail polish.
Threats against KyivPride Park locations and relocation under pressure from the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Pressure from police regarding Pride Park.

Filaret awarded and then revoked an award from Pylypenko.
Cancellation of an LGBTQ+ book presentation due to threats.
A theater staging homophobic performances (“House of Cinema”).
Volunteer march chanting “Death to LGBT” three times.
Attempted disruption of Sarnatska’s presentation and stalking of Pylypenko.
Stalking of Pylypenko after a book presentation.
Failed attempt to disrupt Sunny Bunny.
Church opposition to holding Pride Park at Mykhailivska Square.
Opponents of the KyivPride March gathered for an anti-Pride rally.

Kherson and the Region

Rape of an MSM individual while in captivity in Kherson.
Russian military personnel raped a lesbian woman who has a child.
Militants knocked out a tooth with a rifle butt due to a “mismatch” with the gender marker.
Occupying forces forced a person off a bus and beat them after checking their phone.
Three victims were forced out of a car; one was shot in the leg.
Gang rape of an MSM by Russian military personnel and subsequent suicide.
Robbery of a group of gay men in a bathhouse by Russian military personnel.
A woman and her child were repeatedly searched based on appearance and LGBTQ+ symbolism.
A lesbian woman with pink hair was held in captivity, tortured, and nearly executed.
A lesbian woman was beaten in bed with her partner; the partner was taken into captivity and forced to kiss another woman.
A gay man living with HIV was held in captivity.
Break-in and vandalism of the “Inshi” office.
Abduction of a gay man from a trolleybus into captivity.
Abduction of a gay man by the FSB and detention with torture for 15 days.
Russian military personnel stopped two volunteers, abused them, later released them, and then shelled them.

After de-occupation, Ukrainian military personnel abused individuals following a phone check.
After de-occupation, police officers checked a phone and began humiliating and threatening the individual.

Odesa and the Region

Assault on a gay man by a neighbor in Odesa.
Damage to a banner at an LGBTQ+ exhibition in Odesa (art museum).
“LGBT propaganda” accusations against bakery employees.
Attack on Steve in Odesa.
Fine for “propaganda of homosexuality” (separate cases).
Domestic violence against a transgender person in Odesa.

Denial of border crossing to a transgender person.
Lagoida.

Occupied Territories of Crimea

A gay man who opposed the occupation authorities was charged under the article on “LGBT propaganda” and fined.
A gay man fined for “LGBT propaganda”.
“LGBT propaganda” accusations against bakery employees.
“LGBT propaganda” charge for liking a post on OK (Odnoklassniki).
Fine for “propaganda of homosexuality” (separate cases).
A medical professional treating “gender dysphoria” in Crimea.
A bookstore in the occupied territories fined for “propaganda of homosexuality”.

A boy was hospitalized in a psychiatric facility and attempted suicide after being outed and subjected to harassment

ONLINE

A SOFT.ua company refuses to hire LGBTQI+ people.
An article on “Vsi Razom!” and a warning from the National Council.
Boxer Petro Ivanov stated he would not want children to be taught about gender.
Arestovych speaking out against LGBTQI+ people.
A homophobic scene during an Improv Live Show.

Mariana Bezugla claims that LGBTQ+ is a disease.
MP Roman Kaptelev made homophobic accusations against a gay man in the public space.
Ruslan Martsinkiv commenting on Pride parades.
Member of Parliament Yuliia Yatsyk speaking out against Pride parades.
Homophobic statements by an Lviv city council member.
Honcharenko, Tymoshenko, and Hetmantsev speaking out against Pride.

Illustrative cases

These cases demonstrate that homophobic attitudes, discrimination, and hate-based violence are systemic phenomena. They exist within educational institutions, government bodies, and public spaces.

Under these conditions, it is especially important to continue monitoring, supporting survivors, and advocating for change so that human rights in Ukraine are protected not only on paper, but also in practice.

Lutsk: attack following a public homophobic statement by a local deputy.

After a local deputy publicly condemned a business for displaying a rainbow flag, the office of the agency was attacked. The city council commission did not recognize the violation of rights and instead supported the deputy’s biased position.

Kyiv: attack on artist Daniil Skrypnyk.

The victim was assaulted following openly homophobic insults and threats. The police arrived with a delay, but investigative actions are ongoing, and the organization’s lawyer is providing legal support.

Dismissal of a teacher due to homophobic pressure from parents.

At a private school, a teacher was dismissed after a parent shared his Instagram posts from voguing balls in a group chat, accusing him of posing a “threat” to children. Despite a formal apology from the school, discriminatory restrictions on his employment remained in place.