“Even though Moscow authorities continue to ban all public events of sexual minorities in the capital, breaching both Russian law and the verdict of the European Court, we will continue to demand permission for our Gay Pride marches in Moscow,” acting head of the organising committee Alexander Naumchik. The last time Moscow Pride took place on this day, which is symbolic for the Russian LGBT community and freedom in Russia, was in 2007. Since then the dates moved but in 2012 we will again go on the streets of Moscow with our calls for equality on May 27.” All attempts to stage a Gay Pride march in Moscow have been banned – five by the previous Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who infamously described them a “satanic gatherings”, and this year by the current Mayor, Sergey Sobyanin.

The city was elected on July 4, 2007, during the 119th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Guatemala City, Guatemala. This will be the first time that the Russian Federation will host the Winter Olympics; the Soviet Union hosted the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow. The Games will be organized within two clusters, a coastal cluster in Sochi and a mountain cluster in Krasnaya Polyana.