Ukraine adopts gun rights

No Q Report reported, "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this morning that his government will give weapons to any citizens who are willing to fight."

That is the opposite of what the government did 8 years ago when it demanded people turn in their rifles.

The free guns come as a shortage emerges in Ukraine.

Financial Review reported, "Guns sell out as Ukrainians prepare to fight for their lives."

Putin's a better gun salesman than Obama and Biden combined!

You have heard of jailhouse religion. This is similar. There is nothing like a nuclear-armed neighbor invading to change your mind about private ownership of firearms.

Suddenly, it doesn't matter whether you need an AK-47 to hunt deer. Suddenly, a well regulated militia is seen as being necessary to the security of a free state. Suddenly, guns don't kill people. Rather, guns help people kill invaders.

That was not the way things were before this invasion. For some reason, Ukrainians did not want guns.

According to Wikipedia, there are 120 guns for every 100 Americans but only 10 for every 100 Ukrainians. 

112 International reported a year ago, "75% of Ukrainians are against the free possession of firearms. At the same time, 23% are in favor of such a decision, and the rest, respectively, have not decided. These are the data of a poll from the Rating group, conducted on February 2-3, 2021. Meanwhile, in the Verkhovna Rada, bill No. 4335, co-authored by 43 MPs, is waiting in the wings. The document proposes to legalize the possession of firearms by private individuals."

This week, public attitudes about guns changed -- as did the law.

RT reported a week ago, "Ukraine currently does not have any legislation on civilian firearms. All civilian arms-related issues are regulated by an Interior Ministry’s order. Ukrainians are allowed to own hunting rifles and shotguns after obtaining a relevant license. People working in certain professions, including judges, journalists and MPs, can also get licenses on non-lethal rubber-bullet handguns.

"However, media reports and analysts have suggested that, in Ukraine, illegal firearms are already abundant thanks to a booming black market. There are now anywhere between 3 million and 5 million illegal guns in Ukraine, according to TASS, citing the country’s Interior Ministry."

Days later, the black market is now white.

Business Insider Africa reported, "The Ukrainian parliament passed a law on Wednesday which allowed citizens to carry guns in public."

Ukraine is not without weapons training.

The Guardian reported, "Most Ukrainians – boys and girls – learn how to shoot at school. About 400,000 people are estimated to have combat experience, following Vladimir Putin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and the Moscow-supported armed uprising in the east."

Ah, the 2014 annexation. At the time, Ukraine leaders demanded people give up their rifles, in an effort to appease Putin.

On March 20, 2014, the New York Times said, "In an effort to stabilize Ukraine and extend its authority, the interim government has set a deadline of Friday for turning in the illegal firearms that are now carried openly by so-called self-defense groups in Independence Square, the politically important plaza in the center of the capital.

"The order was seconded on Thursday by the French ambassador to Ukraine, Alain Rémy, who said the disarmament of the militias that helped overthrow the former government is a central requirement for the European Union to begin disbursing financial aid, along with the government fighting corruption.

"Prime Minister Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, who was a staunch supporter of the protesters but never condoned violent tactics, set the deadline for Friday, the day Ukraine is scheduled to sign the political articles of an association agreement with the European Union."

The prime minister said, "For those who want to defend their country with an assault rifle in their hands, welcome to the National Guard or the Army."

NYT's story said, "Members of the self-organized defense groups that formed to defend Independence Square and other protest sites during the uprising have been reluctant to comply. Like gun owners in countries like the United States and Switzerland where ownership of firearms is widespread, they contend that the weapons are needed to defend the country against a possible foreign invasion and to defend their freedoms from potential government abuse."

Now the Ukraine government is passing out rifles to anyone and everyone.

Once this is over, I doubt the Kyiv government will be able (or willing) to take those weapons back.