Following the terrorist attack in Kyiv, Klymenko announced the final version of the law on civilian firearms
Klymenko announced this on social media, and the details of the draft law are confirmed by documents from the Verkhovna Rada.
Commenting on the events of 18 April in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv, Klymenko stated that the terrorist attack “rightly raised a number of contentious issues”, including the granting of the right to possess firearms to civilians. He explicitly stated that people should be granted the right to armed self-defence, and that MPs, the public, journalists and the veterans’ community would be involved in preparing the final version of the document in the near future. Separately, the minister emphasised that there would be no mass checks on gun owners following the attack.
This statement came following the terrorist attack in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv, where an attacker opened fire on people, took hostages in a shop and was killed during the police raid. According to Ukrinform, as of 19 April, six people had died as a result of the attack, with a further 14 injured; on 20 April, the death toll rose to seven following the death of another injured person in hospital.
What is this draft law?
This primarily concerns Bill No. 5708 “On the Right to Civilian Firearms”, registered in the Verkhovna Rada on 25 June 2021. It has already been included on the session’s agenda by Resolution No. 4775-IX of 10 February 2026 and is now officially awaiting its second reading. Related Bill No. 5709, which amends the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences and the Criminal Code to implement the new law, is also at the second reading stage.
The Verkhovna Rada’s official website explained, even after the vote on the first reading, that Bill No. 5708 is intended to establish basic rules for the civilian circulation of firearms. The document defines the right of ownership of civilian firearms, the conditions and procedure for obtaining the relevant documents, the classification of such weapons, the procedure for issuing a medical certificate confirming the absence of contraindications, as well as the creation and maintenance of the Unified State Register of Civilian Firearms.
In addition, the draft sets out the procedure for obtaining the right to possess civilian firearms and ammunition, civil liability insurance for owners, restrictions on access to firearms, their use for self-defence, the designation of gun-free zones, and state control over civilian circulation. The Rada also emphasised that the document simultaneously liberalises the rules for the lawful possession of firearms and strengthens liability for their unlawful use.
Regarding the accompanying draft law No. 5709, the parliamentary record shows that the relevant committee recommended its adoption at second reading and in its entirety as early as November 2023, but the document has yet to be put to a final vote. The conclusions also include comments from the anti-corruption expert review and the legal department, which highlighted the need to refine certain provisions.
Thus, following the terrorist attack in Kyiv, the Ministry of Internal Affairs effectively attempted to bring the issue of civilian firearms back onto the public agenda, an issue that had been stuck between the first and second readings for years. However, for the system to be properly launched, not only a political decision is required, but also the finalisation of two related draft laws, which have yet to pass through parliament in full.
As reported by ThePublic, the special operation in the Holosiivskyi district of the capital has been completed. Fighters from the National Police’s KORD special unit stormed a shop where an armed attacker had barricaded himself. The attacker was killed during the attempt to apprehend him.
Follow us on Telegram
