Bohdan Khodakovskyi was born on January 18, 1996 in the village of Chopovychi in the Malyn District of Ukraine’s Zhytomyr Region. He later graduated with a degree in sociology from the National Pedagogical Drahomanov University in Kyiv. In the past, he has openly sympathized with Italian fascism.
Khodakovskyi is the leader of the right-wing organization, Tradition and Order, which has attacked LGBT+ people on numerous occasions. He actively opposes “gender ideology,” and openly expresses anti-LGBT+ and anti-feminist views. He also supports a ban on abortions and is Eurosceptic.
“We got carried away with democracy and did not get what we were striving for.”
“Let's be honest, do people in Ukraine really kill gays or discriminate against transvestites? No more than patients from the nearest psychiatric hospital. They [LGBT+ people] were not noticed until the emergence of political organizations like the LGBT movement. The problem is artificially inflated. You can, of course, say, ‘Let’s not touch them, let them go about their business.’ Sure, but they infiltrate all areas of public and political life. Look at Latin America, where they failed to address the problem and leftist governments came to power. There, LGBT people and feminists attack priests and burn Christian churches.”
“So-called gender studies is not a discussion about the relationship between a man and a woman, but about sexual minorities, the oppression of women's rights and other inventions.”Dmytro Shutaiev, “Ходаковський: «Традиція і Порядок» – це майбутня партія консервативної ідеології” [Khodakovskyi: Tradition and Order is the future party of conservative ideology], Informator, June 6, 2019, https://informator.press/khodakovs-kyy-tradytsiia-i-poriadok-tse-maybutnia-partiia-konservatyvnoi-ideolohii.
Khodakovskyi states that he has been a member of Dmytro Korchynskyi’s religious and political movement, Bratstvo (“Brotherhood”) since the age of 15, and says that he “participated in all the nationalist, patriotic initiatives that happened during that time; on many different levels: from street fights to political actions.”Myroslava Markova, “Богдан Ходаковський: 'Як тільки щось починається, завжди погляньте на перший-другий ряд – там будуть наші'” [Bohdan Khodakovskyi: "As soon as something starts, always look at the first or second row — ours will be there”], Kafedra Peryodichnoi Presy, November 1, 2018, http://kafedra-press.kiev.ua/novini/646-bogdan-hodakovskiy-yak-tlki-schos-pochinayetsya-zavzhdi-poglyante-na-pershiy-drugiy-ryad-tam-budut-nash.html.
On October 14, 2014, Khodakovskyi—as part of the organization Revansh (“Revanche”)—took part in a demonstration outside the Ukrainian National Parliament, along with other nationalist groups, such as Svoboda, Right Sector, the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners, the Black Committee, Bratstvo and Syndykat. The far-right demonstrators demanded the recognition of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) as official military forces in World War II, as well as the release of political prisoners from the Yanukovych era.
Violence broke out during the rally, and, according to Olena Bilozerska, a participant in the event, Revansh instigated the clashes. As a result, 37 people were detained and 15 law enforcement officers, as well as three civilians (including one journalist), sustained injuries.Svetlana Rohovska, “Кто такие 'Реванш' и 'Синдикат' и какое отношение они имеют к побоищу под Радой 14 октября?” [Who are “Revansh” and “Syndykat” and what relationship do they have to the clashes outside the Rada on October 14?], Gordonua.com, October 16, 2014, https://gordonua.com/publications/kto-takie-revansh-i-sindikat-i-kakoe-otnoshenie-oni-imejut-k-poboishhu-pod-radoj-14-oktjabrja-46400.html.
According to media reports, members of Revansh had a fascination with Italian fascism—they even called themselves “Ardites” (the predecessor of the Italian “black shirts”) and strove to initiate a military coup in Ukraine. Revansh member Oleh Rybalchenko was found guilty of setting fire to Kyiv’s Zhovten Cinema, after it chose to screen a LGBT+ film.“'Жовтень; може стати не останньою жертвою злочинів на грунті ненависті до ЛГБТ – правозахисники” [“Zhovten” might be the latest victim of a LGBT hate crime — human rights activists], National LGBT-Portal of Ukraine, February 23, 2014, https://www.lgbt.org.ua/news/show_2512.
In 2016, the Security Services of Ukraine (SBU) detained Khodakovskyi and other members of Revansh, and seized weapons found on the premises of the group’s meeting place. Khodakovskyi was charged with terrorism and separatism,“Наш авангард - це мілітаризм” [Our avant-garde is militarism], Sichovyk, December 29, 2015, http://sichovyk.com.ua/revansh/440-nash-avangard-tse-militarizm “Триває суд над незаконно затриманами членами “Реваншу”, із прокурором говорять народні депутати” [Trial over illegally detained members of “Revansh" continues, with prosecutor’s office people’s deputies say], Antikor, March 4, 2015, https://antikor.com.ua/articles/30291-trivaje_sud_nad_nezakonno_zatrimanami_chlenami_revanshu_iz_prokurorom_govorjatj_narodni_deputati. and was placed under house arrest for a period of time. He has also claimed that several criminal cases have opened against him:
– “Have you ever been prosecuted?”
– “Yes, during my lifetime, I have had criminal cases of various degrees opened against me: from terrorism, to planning a massacre of law enforcement officers, to an assassination of a state official, hooliganism, administrative violations, and many others.” Myroslava Markova, “Богдан Ходаковський: 'Як тільки щось починається, завжди погляньте на перший-другий ряд – там будуть наші'” [Bohdan Khodakovskyi: "As soon as something starts, always look at the first or second row — ours will be there”], Kafedra Peryodichnoi Presy, November 1, 2018, http://kafedra-press.kiev.ua/novini/646-bogdan-hodakovskiy-yak-tlki-schos-pochinayetsya-zavzhdi-poglyante-na-pershiy-drugiy-ryad-tam-budut-nash.html.
During the snap parliamentary elections in 2019, Khodakovskyi ran as a candidate for the political party Strength and Honor, and later as an independent.“Ходаковський Богдан Васильович” [Khodakovskyi Bohdan Vasylovych], Central Elections Committee, 2019, https://www.cvk.gov.ua/pls/vnd2019/wp407pt001f01=919pf7201=15724.html. Maksym Ivanov, “Кампания без плана: зачем на самом деле Ходаковский участвует в выборах” [Campaign without a plan: why Khodakovskyi is actually participating in the elections], Comments.ua, July 8, 2019, https://comments.ua/politics/627910-kampaniya-bez-plana-zachem-na-samom-dele-hodakovskiy-uchastvuet-v-vyborah.html.
Khodakovskyi was awarded the order, “In honor of efforts to develop the Ukrainian State and Orthodox Church of Ukraine for the benefit of others” of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2019.“Богдана Ходаковського нагородили орденом Православної церкви України” [Bohdan Khodakovskyi awarded order of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine], Informator, July 4, 2019, https://informator.press/bohdana-khodakovs-koho-nahorodyly-ordenom-pravoslavnoi-tserkvy-ukrainy.
Related People
Dmytro Korchynskyi
Oleh Rybalchenko
Olena Bilozerska
Related Groups
Black Committee
Brotherhood
Orthodox Church of Ukraine
Revanche
Right Sector
Strength and Honor Party
Svoboda
Syndykat
Tradition and Order