Gun law in Ukraine

Ukrainian law allows firearm ownership on may-issue basis. With approximately 10 civilian firearms per 100 people, Ukraine is the 88th most armed country in the world.

Law

Ukraine is the only country in Europe where firearms are not regulated by statute. Everything related to firearms is regulated by the Order №622 of Ministry of Internal Affairs. Citizens are permitted to own non-fully automatic rifles and shotguns as long as they are stored properly when not in use. Handguns are illegal except for target shooting and those who hold concealed carry permits.

A license is required to own firearms, and a citizen may be issued a license if that person:

  • is 25 years of age for rifle ownership, 21 years of age for smoothbore weapon ownership, 18 years of age for cold or pneumatic weapon ownership;
  • has no criminal record;
  • has no history of domestic violence;
  • has no mental illness or history of mental illness;
  • has a good reason (target shooting, hunting, collection).

Because of lack of law regarding firearm ownership authorities have great discretion while giving firearm licenses. President and ministers often give guns to members of elite, while making it hard for ordinary people to obtain them. It is estimated that more than 50,000 guns have been issued as presents from authorities.[1]

Gun owners are required by Order to renew their licenses and registration of their guns every three years. Failure to comply will result in revocation as well as confiscation of guns.

Limited categories of citizens like People's Deputies of Ukraine, judges, journalists and some other may own trauma pistols that fire rubber bullets.

Concealed carry licenses are available, but are not normally issued unless a threat to life is present and can be proven.[2]

Once a license is issued, all guns must be kept unloaded and in a safe.

Firearm ownership

According to the database of the National Police of Ukraine there are 892,854 registered firearms in Ukraine as of July 31, 2018.[3] Small Arms Survey estimates that there are 3,569,000 illegal firearms in Ukraine.

Politics

The political parties Svoboda, Right Sector and National Corps have the position that the population should keep and bear arms, as in Switzerland.[4][5][6][7]

See also

References
  1. "Activists seek legalization of gun ownership in nation". KyivPost. April 13, 2018.
  2. "Guns in Ukraine: Firearms, armed violence and gun law". Gunpolicy.org. 2001-05-07. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
  3. "Ukrainians are Getting Armed". WarsawInstitute. August 21, 2018.
  4. Azar, Ilya (10 March 2014). «Мы — не вооруженные силы»: Интервью с одним из лидеров украинского «Правого сектора» ['We are not the armed forces': Interview with one of the leaders of the Ukrainian 'Right Sector']. Lenta.ru (in Russian). Nationalists from the fighting movement Right Sector … are depicted as neo-Nazis by Russian state TV channels.… The head of the Kiev branch explained to Lenta.ru … how it intends to deal with the Russian army in case of military invasion.… 'We believe that people should be armed. As in Switzerland.…'
  5. Gorchinskaya, Katya. "Svoboda tames radicals to get into parliament". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  6. Kramer, Andrew (21 March 2014). "Deadline is set for militias in uprising to surrender their illegal guns". New York Times. p. A12. 'It's not normal to ask people to hand in their weapons in the situation we have now,' Dmytro Yarosh, the leader of a right-wing paramilitary group, Right Sector, said in an interview this week.… Mr. Yarosh said lawyers with his group were drafting a bill for consideration in Parliament that was modeled on Swiss notions of firearms possession, in which an armed population is seen as a quick deterrent against a foreign invasion. 'Allow people to keep weapons at home,' Mr. Yarosh said, describing the logic of gun ownership in the context of Ukraine. 'Then, when the enemy walks down the streets of your country, you can shoot him right from your own window.'…
  7. Volunteer battalion Azov members and former members create National Corps political party, Interfax-Ukraine (14 October 2016)
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