Before the Russian invasion, things went slightly better with the emancipation of LGBTQI people in Ukraine. Partly because President Zelensky has called for it. And Ukraines strong ambition to join the European Union demands modern changes, such as same-sex marriage.
But right after the invasion members of the LGBTQI community fear for their future. They are thought to be among the designated targets of a Russian campaign to oppress sectors of the community, and names of LGBTQI activists have apparently appeared on Russian kill lists.
In March 2022 Njiokiktjien went to Lviv, Ukraine to cover everyday life in the city. While there she started working on a personal project to document the LGBTQI community in Lviv as they cope with the consequences of the Russian invasion.