There may be 2 to 5 million units of unregistered weapons in Ukraine: Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
There may be 2 to 5 million units of unregistered weapons in Ukraine. Accurately accounting for these units is currently a difficult task, and it is impossible to determine the exact number. This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Bohdan Drapyatyi, on the air of the “Edyny Novyni” telethon.
Drapyatyi clarified that these weapons could have gotten into the hands of civilians from several main sources. First, a significant part of the weapons was discovered in the territories liberated from the Russian occupation. Second, a large number of weapons were distributed at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when Ukrainian defense forces distributed them to local residents for self-defense. Under the existing conditions, the registration of these weapons was not always carried out.
Noting the complexity of the situation, Drapyatyi noted that the estimates are approximate, because accurate records are not kept. According to the information of Ukraine’s European partners, the number of such weapons can vary from two to five million units. This fact creates certain challenges for ensuring security in the country.
An important step in solving this problem is draft law No. 5708, which the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted as a basis on February 23, 2022. This draft law provides an opportunity for civilians to legally declare trophy weapons. Such changes can significantly affect the accounting of weapons and help reduce the number of unaccounted units.
In addition, since June 2023, the Unified Register of Weapons has been operating in Ukraine. This registry simplifies the process of obtaining a permit to own a weapon by providing the opportunity to submit documents through the “One-stop shop” or directly at gun stores. The creation of this register became one of the key initiatives, the discussion of which began several years ago. Denys Monastyrskyi, who served as the Minister of Internal Affairs until his tragic death, planned to launch the registry by the end of 2021.
