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The kitchen of The Shelter in Kiev, Ukraine. Lana Yanovska

According to a 2016 poll by

For Igor, who works as a physician, The Shelter has been one of the few places where he can be open about his sexuality. He said he is forced to live a double life, fearing what the repercussions would be of introducing his boyfriend to the colleagues that ask him to bring his wife to dinner.

I would be out of a job, he said. It wouldnt be open discrimination, but they would find a reason to get rid of me because of my homosexuality. The stigma is too big.

Legislation prohibiting discrimination at work based on the grounds of sexual orientation was

Following the Ukrainian Revolution in 2014 which saw the ousting of former President Viktor Yanukovych, along with the countrys break from Russia and its move toward Europe Ukraine adopted an action plan to implement a national strategy for human rights, aimed at developing policies in line with European norms by 2020. Many of these proposals bring LGBTQ rights to the forefront, but only a few have been implemented. The criminal code, most notably, still fails to prosecute hate crimes due to a person's sexual orientation.

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Absence of education aimed at raising awareness of homosexuality has stymied the expansion of LGBTQ rights in Ukraine, a country already deeply ingrained with systemic intolerance lingering from traditional Orthodox values and Soviet mentality.

After the [Ukrainian] Revolution, the situation has not changed much, Olshanskaya lamented, though she did point to the success of recent pride marches held in

The revolution and the continued war in the eastern part of the country has, however, helped The Shelter become a reality, according to Olshanskaya. Funding before 2014 was simply not possible to find," she explained. But the military actions taken in the eastern region allowed Insight to focus on getting internally displaced LGBTQ people out of the country's conflict areas, particularly the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Transgender people who felt threatened in the [conflict zone] began to contact our organization, and a clear action plan for The Shelter was formed, Olshankaya said. Our funders helped us get people out of Donetsk with their things. We wanted to help people from our own community.

Sixty-five people have lived in The Shelter since it opened in mid-2016, and most of those living there during a visit earlier this month were from the eastern areas of the country where fighting is still taking place.

Slavik Smirnov, a 28-year-old model, arrived at The Shelter in Kiev two months ago from Donetsk. Lana Yanovska

In Donetsk, theyre just trying to survive food and sleep is the first necessity, said Slavik Smirnov, a 28-year-old model who arrived at The Shelter two months ago from Donetsk.

There are lots of gay people in Donetsk, he said. "But its much more relaxed and understanding here in Kiev. Its my home here. My first home since Donetsk. Its a very good start before other life begins.

In April 2016, The Shelter was opened to LGBTQ people living throughout Ukraine not just those from the war-torn eastern area of the country. And as Insight continues to work, without government assistance, to build a better Ukraine for all, those in The Shelter prepare for a brighter future. In the coming months, for example, Litvinov plans to move to Moscow to live with his boyfriend.

Theres not much more homophobia there than in Kiev, he said. Socially, going outside the flat, its exactly the same as here. The only thing is that theres this anti-gay propaganda law.

Russias gay propaganda law was passed in 2013 and bans the promotion of homosexuality to people under 18. It was deemed discriminatory by the European Court of Human Rights earlier this year. A similar law was debated in Ukrainian parliament but withdrawn in 2015.

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Ukrainian LGBTQ Shelter a Home for 'People Who Have Lost ... - NBCNews.com