In Ukraine, Pride events do not have a long history. COVID-19 made it even more difficult, as all Pride events were canceled and switched to online, which reduced the audience dramatically. Online involves only LGBTQ+ activists. Offline Pride events are moments of visibility for a wide audience. If you cannot be seen, you cannot be heard. KyivPride has a difficult task - during a pandemic they needed a campaign that spread online Pride events across the country and raise the discussion about human rights.

So, the main objective of Kyiv Pride in the context of COVID-19 pandemic was to:

1. Draw people’s attention to the LGBTQ+ issue through the idea of the Equality March: KPI – maximum audience coverage

2. Carry out the idea of the March in the context of strict quarantine restrictions and lack of budget for media coverage

We hacked the tallest European statue, the iconic Motherland Monument, with the help of drones by attaching a huge rainbow flag to its sword in real-time. The statue’s symbolism was transformed – from the protection of Soviet values to human rights protection and raising awareness on gender equality.

It was an upside-down shift in symbolism that immediately resonated with society. In fact, with our stunt we set up the only relevant meaning to the monument - the Motherland should protect all “children”.

We would never get permission to hang a flag on Motherland Monument because of political reasons. The dimensions of the sword and flag are such that it's physically impossible to do this without damaging the monument. Therefore, we used a technological solution.

We had only one chance to do this until the police would stop us, which is why we needed careful preparation.

We calculated and produced a flag of the required size and weight.

We monitored the movement of the clouds in real time using the air radar. Even light rain and increased humidity could make the flag too heavy and the drone would lose control.

It was necessary to monitor the strength and direction of the wind in order to adjust the position of the drone with the flag, so that the flag was “fixed” near the sword.

The second drone introduced a live stream of the event.

Within 3 days (after the event and until the moment of its coverage in mass) more than 100 mln impressions was received.

More than 100 TV channels and Internet outlets published news about the project all over the world

The general movement of LGBTQ+ in Ukraine grew and the pride became more creative in its communication in general. After Kyiv Pride 2020 campaign prides in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhya in 2021 also started flying rainbow flags with the help of drones.

With cases of discrimination and violence against LGBTQI people in the Eastern Europe region on the increase, Ukraine stands out as an example of progress. Out of the four featured countries (Hungary, Poland, russia, Ukraine) Ukraine has the least aggressive track record of government-sponsored LGBTQI discrimination and is arguably becoming the most welcoming nation in the region.

(via Atlantic Council hearing dedicated solely to the protection of LGBTQI rights).