In Ukraine, the number of crimes involving weapons and ammunition continues to increase rapidly. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, more than 11,000 such cases were recorded in 2024, which is a record number in recent years.
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Leonid Tymchenko reported that compared to the pre-war year 2021, when 273 such crimes were registered, their number increased 42 times. In 2022, the number of crimes increased to 1,267, and in 2023 it reached 11,186. In 2024, this trend continued, and in less than a year, 11,489 crimes were already registered.
Experts attribute the increase in gun crime to the prolonged martial law and the proliferation of firearms among the population. The war led to a massive transfer of weapons, which, remaining off the official record, end up in illegal circulation.
One of the reasons for the situation was the provision of legal guarantees to civilians for the storage of found weapons during martial law. Although this decision was aimed at mobilizing the defense potential of the country, it made it difficult to control the use of weapons in peaceful life.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs is considering strengthening control over the circulation of weapons, as well as developing new mechanisms to detect and prevent crimes involving weapons. The government plans to improve legislation to more effectively regulate the situation and minimize risks.
"The situation requires an immediate response. We are working to create conditions to control the illegal circulation of weapons, while providing legal ways of storage for those who use them for self-defense," Tymchenko said.
The increase in gun crime is becoming a serious challenge for the country's security system, which requires an integrated approach from the state, law enforcement agencies and society.
