Perception of LGBTQ+ people in Ukraine was formed under the influence of Soviet propaganda. In the USSR, representatives of the LGBT were subjected to criminal prosecution. Unfortunately, this social background still affects many Ukrainians. For many of them, Soviet values are something “sacred” and “untouchable”.

The Motherland Monument - the tallest European statue - is a symbol of Victory and Protection.

But even now, in modern Ukraine, there is no protection of gender equality. Defending LGBTQ+ rights is not only hard, it’s also dangerous. Sometimes during Pride events there are more policemen than participants. There have been more than 400 attacks against LGBTQ+ activists over the past 3 years.

In Ukraine, Pride events do not have a long history. COVID-19 in 2020 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.

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.