On June 04, 2024, the Center for Security Studies (CENSS) in partnership with the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise conducted a training on “Trafficking and Possession of Weapons: Dimension of European Integration”. The event was held at the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise within the framework of the project “Supporting Ukraine in Countering the Risks of Small Arms and Light Weapons Proliferation as a Result of russia’s Aggressive War”.
Vadym Chernysh, the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Center for Security Studies “CENSS”, in his welcoming speech expressed gratitude to the staff of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise for their partnership, joint projects, and qualified work.
Oleksandr Ruvin, Director of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, and Nataliia Nestor, Deputy Director of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, also made welcoming remarks. They emphasized the need to strengthen control over arms trafficking in Ukraine.
Ukraine remains one of the few countries in the world where the issue of arms for civilians has not yet been regulated. After 2014, when the russian invasion of Ukraine began, the issue of self-defense became more prominent. Criminals already have access to arms. Crimes committed with registered arms will be much easier to investigate. Therefore, these trainings are very relevant.
The training was attended by Oleksandr Dolozhevskyi, Deputy Head of the Department of Explosive Research and Research on Missile and Artillery Weapons of the Laboratory of Military Research of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise.
During the event, the following issues were discussed: regulation of the possession and trafficking of small arms and light weapons in the EU and Ukraine (national legislation, EU directives, European integration requirements and initiatives in the field of combating illicit arms trafficking); aspects of weapons classification under EU and Ukrainian legislation; international experience of state registers of weapons and Swiss experience in the field of civilian possession of firearms.
