To avoid a seven-year sentence, Ukraine has launched a voluntary weapons declaration initiative. Get the details from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Starting from November 25, Ukraine has initiated voluntary weapon declaration, which will last for 90 days. This process will allow citizens to legalize any unregistered weapons they possess. Details regarding the declaration procedure, statistics on the seizure of illegal weapons, and prospects for further legislative regulation of civilian weapon circulation were shared by Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Bohdan Drapiatyi.

Control over weapon circulation is a crucial component of ensuring security in Ukraine. It is also a key focus area for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, forming part of the "Security Environment" concept. The law on weapon declaration is one of the steps being implemented by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to reduce the number of crimes committed using weapons, while also enhancing the safety of citizens. Another aspect is that citizens who declare found weapons will be able to legally keep them in their possession.

“To prevent citizens from being held criminally liable for illegal possession of these weapons, we propose that they hand over this weapon by declaring it to the police, and during the period of martial law, as well as for 90 days after the end of martial law, they can keep it in their possession. In fact, this legislative change is primarily of interest not to law enforcement but to citizens who have unregistered weapons,” said Bohdan Drapiatyi.

Where to turn for owners of unregistered weapons

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has made the weapon declaration process as simple and understandable as possible: citizens aged 21 and older who possess unregistered weapons must go to the National Police to declare these weapons and can keep them during the martial law period. The same law also provides that after the end of martial law, citizens, if they wish and if possible, will be able to convert these weapons into permitted types of firearms, allowing them to register it as a weapon authorized for use and storage. Of course, if it is impossible to convert the weapon into permitted models, it will have to be handed over. This is what the current legislation stipulates.

“In most cases, declaration will essentially allow citizens to legalize the unregistered weapons they possess and store them legally during the period of martial law,” emphasized Bohdan Drapiatyi.

The form for the declaration application is extremely simple. It only requires indicating that the weapon was found or received at a specific location on a particular date or timeframe. Not all types of weapons will be subject to declaration, but for instance, an automatic rifle or a pistol, which are currently not permitted for civilian circulation, can be declared and kept in possession. This weapon can also be used for protection against Russian occupiers.

“There are exceptions for individuals with a criminal background or those who have committed domestic violence. Of course, they will not be able to declare their weapons,” said Bohdan Drapiatyi.

The police will also document the identification numbers of the weapons, photograph them, but will then return them to citizens. Until the end of martial law. Weapons showing signs of altered markings or destruction will not be subject to declaration. If an individual does not wish to keep the found or received weapon during the martial law period, the National Police will accept it voluntarily, which excludes criminal liability.

From November 25, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will make every effort to ensure a simple and accessible declaration mechanism for citizens. Therefore, individuals can turn to any territorial body of the National Police that has the necessary capabilities and resources. After 90 days following the end of martial law, if a citizen wishes to keep this weapon by converting it into another type of permitted weapon, the procedure will be somewhat different.

“We will definitely test fire this weapon, check it according to our standards, and conduct ballistic examinations. Only after we ascertain that this weapon is not linked to any offenses will we return it to its current owner,” said Bohdan Drapiatyi.

However, in the initial stage, which is simpler and faster, the Ministry of Internal Affairs aims to remove firearms already in people's possession from illegal circulation, register them from the so-called shadows, and inform the owners of such weapons about the established rules for carrying, storing, and transporting them to ensure their safety and that of others.

Responsibility for storing unregistered weapons

“Currently, owners of unregistered weapons face penalties under Article 263 of the Criminal Code — from 3 to 7 years of imprisonment. Voluntary declaration or surrender will relieve them of this risk, which is a significant argument, in my opinion,” said Bohdan Drapiatyi.

In early March 2022, the Law "On Ensuring the Participation of Civilians in the Defense of Ukraine" was adopted, granting state authorities the right to issue weapons to our citizens for repelling the armed aggression of Russia. This approach proved to be correct, allowing us to mobilize civilians willing to defend our state. Most of the issued weapons have been registered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the police, and this information is available. However, we do not rule out cases where the documentation for issuing weapons to civilians was not properly processed for various reasons at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, so citizens currently have the right to formalize the relevant documents for this weapon, and after the end of martial law, return it to the state in a legal manner.

As of today, nearly 1 million 400 thousand units of various types of weapons have been registered in Ukraine according to the established legislative procedure. Typically, these are weapons for hunting, shooting sports, and so-called traumatic weapons for self-defense. There are specific categories of individuals entitled to possess these weapons.

Discussing the statistics on illegal weapon circulation is challenging for obvious reasons. Specifically, due to the ongoing hot phase of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine and the vast length of the front line (over 1000 kilometers). However, analyzing the state of the criminal situation across various types of offenses shows that since the beginning of the full-scale war, it has been fluctuating.

“However, there is a negative trend in the increase of illegal weapon circulation. If we compare, for instance, the period of the full-scale war with 2019, we see an increase in instances of unregistered weapons being seized from our citizens. This includes not only firearms; it also accounts for seized explosive substances, devices, including grenades and ammunition. For example, if in 2019 we seized about 100 units of automatic weapons, by 2023 we have seized 1567 units of this type of weapon. Speaking of grenades, in 2019, law enforcement seized 2500 units, while in 2023 — about 18 thousand. Thus, we see a sharp increase in indicators since the beginning of the full-scale invasion,” noted Bohdan Drapiatyi.

Under Articles 263 and 263-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — concerning illegal handling of weapons, military supplies, or explosives — 4700 criminal proceedings were initiated by law enforcement in 2024. In 3797 proceedings, suspects have been notified, and 3212 cases have already been sent to court. The majority of illegal weapons are seized in regions bordering active combat zones, namely Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. The least weapons are seized in the west — in the Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi regions.

“We do not see any armed groups terrorizing the population, committing robberies, extortion, or engaging in other illegal activities. Moreover, if we talk about the number of such crimes, like robberies, thefts, we observe a decrease during the full-scale war. Therefore, we are able to respond quickly to challenges and keep the situation under control. A Coordination Center has been established to combat illegal weapon circulation, headed by the Minister of Internal Affairs, involving all law enforcement agencies connected to combating illegal weapon circulation. This also aids us in this endeavor,” said Bohdan Drapiatyi.

The procedure for vehicle registration for the needs of the Armed Forces has been simplified in Ukraine

In Ukraine, the process of registering and re-registering vehicles imported as humanitarian aid has been simplified. On September 9, the relevant resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 895 came into effect. The document facilitates the procedure for transferring such vehicles for front-line needs.

Among the new provisions is the ability to register humanitarian vehicles with the state. The option for temporary registration remains available, allowing for vehicle registration while paying only for forms, without contributions to the pension fund, certification, and expert examination during the first registration. Services such as decommissioning, traveling abroad, and transferring to another person are available for vehicles under temporary registration, as reported by the MIA Service Center.

The resolution allows charitable organizations to register imported humanitarian vehicles with the state, regardless of whether they are already used for the country's defense or are just crossing the border. State registration will help designate a responsible user of the vehicle, fostering personal accountability among drivers for traffic rule violations.

A clear mechanism has also