Ukrainian Parliament Allows Citizens to Carry Guns Amid Russia Threat

A Pro-Russian militant carrying binoculars and a rifle walks in the woods by a check-point
FABIO BUCCIARELLI/AFP via Getty Images

Ukraine’s parliament addressed the tension with Russia Wednesday by voting to allow citizens to carry guns.

Reuters reported that the parliament approved a draft of the law “in its first reading.”

Those that wrote the law commented, “The adoption of this law is fully in the interests of the state and society.” They added that it was as response to “existing threats and dangers for the citizens of Ukraine”

Ukrinform, a Ukrainian news outlet, explains the breadth of the adopted draft:

[It] regulates public relations arising in the field of enforcement of the right of individuals and legal entities in Ukraine to carry civilian firearms, ammunition, as well as products structurally similar to weapons and ammunition. The bill also defines the legal regime of ownership of civilian firearms, establishes the basic rights and responsibilities of individuals and legal entities for the production, acquisition, possession, alienation, carrying, transportation, repair, use of civilian firearms and ammunition, etc.

Sky News reports that demand at a shooting range in Kyiv is up 200 percent since December. The demand developed at Ukrainians watched the tensions with Russia grow.

A range customer, Anatoly Arefyanov, said, “The situation is difficult and we need to be ready for anything now.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkinsa weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange

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