Campaign to declare found firearms and ammunition continues in Mykolaiv region

During the week, citizens have already registered 15 weapons and voluntarily handed over one assault rifle.

This was reported by the Main Department of the National Police in Mykolaiv region.

On November 25, the Law of Ukraine "On Ensuring the Participation of Civilians in the Defense of Ukraine" came into force to improve the procedure for obtaining, declaring and handling firearms.

Within a week of the launch of the firearms declaration procedure, residents of Mykolaiv region have responsibly followed the legal procedure and are turning to the police for further storage, the statement said.

"Until the end of martial law, civilians who have received or found firearms, regardless of whether they are automatic, semi-automatic, or smoothbore, have the opportunity to declare them to the police and store them legally. The declaration procedure is simple and fast - a citizen should call the 102 hotline or the nearest police station, where specialists will inspect the weapon, register it and issue the owner with a relevant document," said Serhii Nezhydaiev, head of the weapons control department at the Mykolaiv regional police headquarters.

To apply for declaration of firearms and ammunition, the following documents are required

• a written application;
• passport-book or ID-card;
• a photo measuring 3.5 by 4.5 cm;
• a statement of residence or registration;
• identification number.

After the declaration procedure, the police return the weapon to the declarant. Firearms and ammunition are considered legal after they have been declared in the prescribed manner.

The police remind that civilians possessing undeclared firearms and ammunition entails criminal liability.

Since the beginning of the year, 220 criminal offenses under Part 1 of Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine have been detected and documented in the region, and 172 people have been brought to criminal responsibility. The police seized 170 firearms, over 41,000 rounds of ammunition, more than 88 kilograms of explosives and almost 58 kilograms of gunpowder from illicit trafficking. Police also uncovered 14 facts of "caches" with weapons and ammunition in Mykolaiv, Bashtanka and Pervomaisk districts.

Ігор Льов