The Cabinet of Ministers approved amendments to the Law “On Ensuring the Participation of Civilians in the Defense of Ukraine” to improve the procedure for obtaining, declaring and handling firearms”
The draft law was developed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in order to streamline the rules for handling weapons, as well as to give civilians the right to declare available weapons and ammunition to it.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine, in particular, civilians, have been involved in repelling and deterring Russian armed aggression, and at the legislative level have received the right to use firearms for this purpose, which are not registered in the specified order.
In this regard, there was a need to streamline the rules for handling weapons, as well as to give civilians the right to declare available weapons, but without the obligation to surrender them before the end of the martial law, and within 90 days of its completion.
By amending the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring the Participation of Civilians in the Defense of Ukraine”, it is proposed to regularize the procedure for obtaining, declaring and handling firearms. It establishes the obligation to declare by civilians the categories of firearms and ammunition specified in the act in the bodies (units) of the National Police of Ukraine.
The procedure for the declaration of firearms, as well as the rules for their carrying, storage, and transportation by civilians involved in repelling and deterring armed aggression of the Russian Federation will be determined by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The adoption of this Law will contribute to strengthening control in the sphere of arms circulation, as well as provide legal guarantees for civilians not to hold them accountable for storing unregistered but declared weapons.
Department of Communications of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
