Weapon Theft and Loss in Ukraine: A Growing Crisis
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has officially recorded 780,465 firearms as either lost or stolen. In just the first four months of 2026, the national registry added 149,760 new entries—a clear sign that security challenges persist across the country. The most commonly stolen weapons include assault rifles, hunting shotguns, and carbines, with the AK-74 assault rifle leading the list by a wide margin. One out of every four entries in the registry refers to this specific model.
Statistics on Weapon Loss and Theft
Weapons listed as wanted for military-related reasons account for 66% of all entries in the national registry of lost and stolen firearms. Since the registry was established, it has accumulated a total of 1.17 million weapon records. In 2025 alone, 179,315 cases of lost weapons were documented. The highest spike in losses occurred in 2022, when 266,086 firearms were reported missing.
The majority of weapon loss cases—512,350 in total—are recorded within a week of the incident. Notably, 173,980 entries were added to the registry with a delay of over a year. Nearly half of all missing weapon cases, or 50%, are concentrated in just three regions: Mykolaiv Oblast, the city of Kyiv, and Donetsk Oblast.
In response to the crisis, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the creation of an electronic Register of Gunsmiths, which could help improve oversight of firearm circulation in the country. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine commented:
“This year, the registry has grown by 149,000 entries—almost as many as in all of 2025. Assault rifles, hunting shotguns, and carbines are the most frequently stolen and lost weapons.” — Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
These figures highlight the urgency of the security issue and the need for decisive action to address it.
The ongoing loss and theft of weapons in Ukraine remains a critical concern, underscoring the necessity of tighter controls over firearm circulation. The proposed electronic Register of Gunsmiths could be a key step forward in tackling this problem by enabling more effective tracking and recording of losses. Future government actions in this area could have a significant impact on national security and public safety.