Illegal handling of weapons: OGP reveals where most offenses were committed last year

Illegal handling of weapons: OGP reveals where most offenses were committed last year

Kyiv  •  UNN

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In 2024, 5898 offenses related to the illegal handling of weapons were recorded in Ukraine. Most cases were reported in Dnipropetrovska, Kharkivska, and Kyivska oblasts.

In 2024, 5,898 offenses related to the illegal handling of weapons, ammunition, or explosives were recorded in Ukraine. This was reported to UNN journalist in response to a request from the Prosecutor General's Office.

Over the past four years, a total of 20,282 offenses related to illegal handling of weapons have been recorded in Ukraine. Thus, there is a clear increase in the number of offenses every year. The main leaders are Dnipro, Odesa, and the capital.

In January-December 2024, 5,898 criminal proceedings were registered in Ukraine under Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives. There were 10,163 registered proceedings. 4,325 of these proceedings were closed.

According to the data provided, the highest number of recorded criminal offenses was due to illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives in 2024:

⦁ In Dnipropetrovs'k region - 615;

⦁ In Kharkiv region - 441;

⦁ In Kyiv - 373;

⦁ In Odesa region - 363;

⦁ In Donetsk region - 360. 

In 2024, the lowest number of offenses related to illegal handling of weapons was recorded in Luhansk region - 1, Kherson region - 118, and Ternopil region - 142.

In 2021, before the outbreak of full-scale war in Ukraine, 4,067 criminal proceedings were registered for illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives.

At that time, Dnipro region was also the leader in terms of the number of recorded offenses related to illegal handling of weapons - 435, Kyiv region recorded 294 offenses, and Odesa region recorded 266.

Between January and December 2022, a total of 4,735 criminal offenses related to the illegal handling of weapons were registered. A total of 9,221 proceedings were registered, of which 4,513 were closed.

Dnipropetrovska oblast was also the leader in terms of the number of recorded offenses - 568. There were 462 offenses in Kyiv and 366 in Odesa region.

In 2023, the situation was worse than in previous years, with 5,582 offenses of illegal handling of weapons recorded. There were 10,366 registered proceedings, of which 4,831 were closed.

The following regions were in the lead at the time:

⦁ Dnipropetrovska - 672

⦁ Kharkivska - 466

⦁ Kyiv - 454

⦁ Donetsk - 403

⦁ Odesa - 361

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Addendum

In 2024, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that in all of 2023, law enforcement officers seized about 5,500 firearms and 2 million rounds of ammunition from citizens.

In general, the issue of illicit arms trafficking in Ukraine has been acute since 2014, and the situation has worsened since the outbreak of full-scale war.

In particular, in 2024, there was more than one news story in the media and social networks about the use and explosions of grenades in cities. In particular, on July 7, it was reported that in Lutsk, an unknown man threw a grenade at people from a car window .

In the summer, children found a grenade on a playground in Gostomel, Kyiv region.

In the spring, a man in Brovary exploded a grenade, injuring a police officer.

The Criminal Investigation Department of the National Police reported to UNNthat law enforcement officers are constantly taking measures to prevent the leakage of firearms, ammunition and explosives from the territories where hostilities are taking place to other regions of Ukraine. There are 270 checkpoints manned by military personnel around the clock.

On November 25, 2024, the Law of Ukraine "On the Declaration of Weapons" came into force. Full title of the Law of Ukraine "On Ensuring the Participation of Civilians in the Defense of Ukraine" on improving the procedure for obtaining, declaring and handling firearms.

In early January 2025, Vyacheslav Savchenko, the head of the National Police's Weapons Control Department, reported that since November 25, citizens had declared 2,500 firearms and 430,000 rounds of ammunition in Ukraine.