An LGBT rally took place in the Kharkiv metro

On September 12, 2026, a gay pride parade took place in Kharkiv, during which participants held a demonstration in the Kharkiv metro. The event was held under heightened security provided by National Guard personnel.

The march began at the “Universitet” and “Derzhprom” stations, after which participants carrying rainbow symbols emerged above ground. In the immediate vicinity of the march route, representatives of the radical organization “Right-Wing Youth” organized a counter-protest.

To prevent clashes, law enforcement set up extensive police cordons and deployed dozens of buses. Despite the confrontation between the two sides, the event concluded without any serious incidents or breaches of public order.

As a reminder, earlier, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, held a meeting with representatives of LGBT organizations to discuss possible amendments to the draft of the new Civil Code. Activists stated that certain provisions of the document concerning the definition of family needed to be revised and proposed enshrining provisions related to the protection of the rights of the LGBT community in law.