Veterans are demanding the right to own handguns for self-defense
A petition has been posted on the official website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine calling for war veterans to be granted the right to purchase, possess, and carry short-barreled firearms.
The authors of the petition are convinced that combat veterans who defended the country have the right to additional means of ensuring their personal safety.
According to the text of the document dated April 20, the initiative covers a wide range of individuals who participated in repelling the Russian Federation’s armed aggression.
This includes servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, and other law enforcement agencies who were discharged from active duty due to health reasons or were granted disability status.
The petition’s authors propose allowing the possession of handguns provided that standard background checks or special additional screening procedures are completed.
They emphasize that many veterans, due to injuries sustained, have lost the physical ability to defend themselves by other means and therefore need weapons as a guarantee of safety.
At the same time, judicial practice in Ukraine demonstrates a strict stance toward violations of gun safety rules, even among military personnel.
The “Judicial and Legal Newspaper” cites examples of cases where disregard for safety led to tragic consequences and actual prison terms for the defenders.
In particular, the Luhansk Court of Appeals sentenced a servicemember to 10 years in prison for opening fire at a gas station while on leave.
The man used an unassigned Stechkin automatic pistol, firing at least six shots at civilians.
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