Ukraine hosts biggest ever gay pride parade

Ukrainian politicians and foreign diplomats joined thousands marching in a gay pride parade in Kiev on Sunday, the biggest and most peaceful ever in the former Soviet country.

Crowds of people, many dressed in bright colours, paraded along streets in the centre of the Ukrainian capital, holding up banners saying "Diversity is beautiful", "Human rights = happy country", "No violence - yes rights!".

They were flanked by a thick cordon of police in helmets but there was no sign of violence despite the presence of a few hundred protesters.

Sunday's march in Kiev was part of "Pride Month" celebrated by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people around the world.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a former comedian who took office last month, has promoted a tolerant culture, saying he stands for all people's equality and freedom.

"Our desire is to convey to a majority of people that LGBT is normality," Eduard, a 17-year-old tattoo artist, said.

Ruslana Panukhnyk, one of the organisers of the capital's annual gay pride march, told journalists after the event that about 8,000 people had attended it far more than 5,000 last year.

Under Western-backed leadership, Ukraine's parliament passed legislation in 2015 to ban discrimination in the workplace as part of a series of laws Ukraine needed to pass to qualify for a visa-free travel agreement with the European Union.

"Thank you to the police and other law enforcement agencies for protecting today's Pride event in Kiev," Judith Gough, the British ambassador to Ukraine who joined the march, wrote in a tweet.

She posted pictures of herself and other Western ambassadors who participated in the event. Sunday's march was a far cry from violent clashes witnessed at the same event in 2015, but protesters also made their voices heard.

Police detained nine men on Saturday, who allegedly were planning protests but police said they had seen no reason to detain anyone on Sunday.

Last year Kiev police detained 56 members of nationalist groups after scuffles before the march.