Russia offers gun amnesty for illegal arms amid rising trade
In Russia, individuals possessing illegal firearms will be granted amnesty if they turn them over for military use, according to a report by the Moscow Times on Monday. The information comes from the Russian Federal National Guard Service and applies to weapons that have not been used in a crime.
7:11 PM EDT, October 28, 2024
Currently, possessing a firearm without a valid license in Russia can result in a fine of up to 5,000 rubles.
In August, President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing Rosgvardia to transfer confiscated or voluntarily surrendered weapons to units fighting in Ukraine.
The new regulations are expected to bring significant savings, as the previous law required confiscated weapons to be destroyed. As of early 2024, over 70,000 weapons designated for destruction were stored in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Rosgvardia warehouses.
Increase in illegal arms trade
The Ministry of Internal Affairs noted a sharp increase in crimes related to the illegal trade of weapons imported into Russia from war zones. In the first two months of this year, the number of such crimes increased by 16% compared to the previous year. The weapons mainly made their way into the Caucasus region. According to the newspaper "Izvestia," these weapons were primarily purchased by ordinary citizens.
People are buying weapons for potential future use, "just in case." They cite difficult times and fears as reasons, reported the newspaper.
On Monday, the FSB announced on its website that 124 individuals engaged in illegal arms trade were detained over two months. Authorities confiscated 333 firearms, including rifles and submachine guns, over 640 pounds of explosives, electric detonators, and more than 63,000 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, 59 workshops for ammunition production and weapons modification were dismantled.
