Number Of Crimes Involving Use Of Firearms Up By Third In Ukraine - Klymenko

The police record an increase of crimes involving the use of firearms by one-third.

Head of the National Police Ihor Klymenko said this in an interview with Ukrainian News Agency.

According to him, it is too early to talk about the consequences of the mass issuance of firearms to citizens, but they will be.

“We will feel the consequences of this problem a little later. In a few months. But on the first day of the invasion, in my opinion, it was the right decision to issue police weapons to former employees of the internal affairs bodies, veterans, because they have significant experience and know how to handle weapons. The fact that legislators gave civilians the opportunity to use weapons to protect their state against Russian invaders was also a positive and correct decision of that time. But we are talking here from a police point of view, so we warn people about the inadmissibility of using these weapons precisely for the purpose of criminal encroachment on our citizens," Klymenko said.

He noted that this issue needs to be resolved.

“Because we are already recording a 37% increase in the number of crimes related specifically to the use of firearms in Ukraine. This is a problem, there is a war going on in the country and will continue for some time. But we must explain to people and draw a red line between the defense of the Motherland and the crime. Everyone should be held accountable for a crime, no matter who it is, especially if a person uses a weapon that he received to repel the armed aggression of the Russians," Klymenko stressed.

As Ukrainian News Agency reported, Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi said that several tens of thousands of machine guns had been issued to civilians and the distribution of weapons would continue in critical regions to deter Russia's armed aggression.

The Verkhovna Rada intends to legalize civilian firearms.

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