Ukraine's LGBTQ soldiers come out in force to fight back against Putin's bloody war

Ukraine’s LGBTQ soldiers are coming out in force to push back against the Kremlin’s invading forces -- but before they head to the frontlines, many queer soldiers have taken to sewing a bright green unicorn patch onto their uniforms, ensuring that their contribution to their country’s liberation does not go unnoticed.   

Territorial Defence members Oleksandr Zhygan, 37, and partner Antonina Romanova, 37, show a unicorn insignia on their uniforms symbolizing the LGBTQ community, on the day of their departure to the frontline, at their home in Kyiv, Ukraine https://t.co/lghYoTrIJO 📷 Edgar Su pic.twitter.com/ApCmyoatJZ

— Reuters Pictures (@reuterspictures) May 31, 2022

According to a Reuters report, members of the LGBTQ community fighting on the Ukrainian side began the practice when Russia first invaded – and subsequently annexed – the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Back then, however, many queer Ukrainians were still living in the shadows and Ukrainian actor and director Oleksandr Zhuhan remembers how “lots of people said there are no gay people in the army.”

It was then that queer soldiers chose to associate themselves with the unicorn symbol.

"They chose the unicorn because it is like a fantastic 'non-existent' creature,” he explained.

But Zhuhan and his partner Romanova are fighting for more than just their country – they are also fighting against the systemic homophobia present in Putin’s Russia.

After all, the regime in Moscow has made their feelings towards LGBTQ people terrifyingly clear and the country’s “gay propaganda” laws have been used to erase queer people from public view, with countless activists already imprisoned.

Furthermore, the “anti-gay” purges in Chechnya – which have included extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, secret abductions, imprisonment and torture – have in recent years shown the horrors that await LGBTQ people living under Russian occupation.

For that reason, although neither Zhuhan nor Romanova have previous military experience, they were quick to join the resistance.

"I just remember that at a certain point it became obvious that we only had three options: either hide in a bomb shelter, run away and escape, or join the Territorial Defense. We chose the third option," Romanova recalled.

"Russia does not just want to take our territories and kill our people. They want to destroy our culture and... we can't allow this to happen," Zhuhan added.

Yet the couple say they have not faced any discrimination while on their first tour in southern Ukraine – but rather felt accepted by their compatriots.

"There was no aggression, no bullying... It was a little unusual for the others. But, over time, people started calling me Antonina, some even used my she pronoun," Romanova said.

Even after switching units during their second three-month stint, the couple reported that their commander made it clear that he would not tolerate homophobia.

There is one thing, however, that still keeps Romanova up at night, however: that the military won’t respect their wishes if they were to be killed in battle.  

"The thing I'm worried about is that in case I get killed during this war, they won't allow Antonina to bury me the way I want to be buried," Zhuhan said.

"They'd rather let my mum bury me with the priest reading silly prayers... But I am an atheist and I don't want that."