Locked but Loaded: Firearms Possession Dynamics in Ukraine
Situation Update: Ukraine
Although overall crime victimization in Ukraine has remained relatively stable following Russia’s full-scale invasion, firearms are increasingly more likely to be used in crime. In late 2023, 11 per cent of surveyed victims of crime said a firearm was used in the crime incidents they experienced during the previous 12 months, up from 6 per cent a year earlier.
Locked but Loaded: Firearms Possession Dynamics in Ukraine—second of the Survey’s Situation Updates series on firearms possession and proliferation in Ukraine—builds on a series of general population surveys carried out between 2011 and December 2023. This Situation Update focuses on the evolving dynamics of firearms possession in Ukraine. It is is divided into two main sections: contextual background on perceptions of insecurity, the role of weapons, and the specific situation of combatants and veterans; and an examination of civilian firearms possession, including public perceptions of these weapons, civilians’ access to them, and public awareness and use of the new Unified Register of Weapons.
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Focus on civilian firearms possession
This Situation Update was funded by a grant from the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO). The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the GFFO.
