Ruslan Martsinkiv, the mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, is known for his harsh and controversial statements on various issues.

One of them is his attitude towards the LGBT community. How has his position changed over time, and is he a homophobe?

 

In 2016, Martsynkiv caused a scandal when he wrote on his Facebook page: “A gay man cannot be a patriot. It goes against nature itself.” He also stated that he did not support the “Love Wins” festival in Frankivsk, organized by representatives of the LGBT community. His post provoked a strong reaction on social media, where he was accused of homophobia and discrimination.

 

In 2020, Martsinkiv repeated his phrase about gay patriots in an interview with Novoe Vremya magazine. He added that he considers himself a Christian and adheres to Christian values. He noted that he had nothing against people with “non-traditional sexual orientation” but did not want them to take to the streets to fight for their rights. His words again caused outrage among the public, especially among human rights defenders and activists of the LGBT movement.

 

In 2024, Martsynkiv changed his tone towards the LGBT community. In the author’s program “Frankly” with Oksana Kaminska, he asked whether his attitude toward the LGBT community had changed. He said he supports Christian values but loves and prays for all people. He noted that his previous statements about LGBT people were taken out of context. He said that he does not have a negative attitude toward the LGBT community but believes that there are more pressing issues than LGBT issues. According to him, the problems of people with disabilities, children in orphanages, and animal abuse are much more relevant to the public.

 

So, we can say that Martsinkiv is trying to soften his position on the LGBT community, but he is not acknowledging his homophobia. And although he ignores the fact that LGBT people are part of the community he serves and need his support and protection, there is still some softening in the rhetoric. What will happen next?