The Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov stated that Ukraine needs "not only liberalization but also the legalization of the weapons circulation".
On his Facebook, the Minister reacted to a poll in Diia about the right to own arms.
"...I'll answer as a lawyer. First, I want right away to dismiss fears that it's allegedly "bad timing" to discuss this topic and make decisions because there's the war. Exactly because there's war ongoing we have to finally make some decisions long overdue. This one – in particular. When russian occupiers invaded Ukraine, tens of thousands of our citizens… received automatic weapons to protect their homes in as "liberal" a way as possible. Because there was no other way," – Reznikov said.
He highlighted that "the law permits citizens to use any weapons against the enemy". "I deem it logical not to create prohibitions but instead to regulate the weapons usage by forming gun culture," – the Defence Ministry head emphasized.
He noted that Ukraine needs to form a culture of a "safe and responsible attitude toward weapons".
"I'm convinced that Ukraine needs to develop a network of shooting ranges, shooting galleries, shooting clubs, and respective competitions. For every citizen who meets reasonable requirements to have an opportunity to learn how to use weapons, maintain their skills and – the most important – to adopt a certain culture," – Reznikov added.
The Minister said that he's a "consistent supporter of liberalization of weapons circulation" and will vote at the Diia poll.
"There's a popular saying that a weapon makes a human being free. I'm convinced that a weapon should make a human being first and foremost a responsible one," – Reznikov stressed.
Diia launched a new poll regarding the right to own weapons. The poll will be ongoing for 7 days. Only adult citizens can vote in it.