The article analyzes the current state of illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives in Ukraine and ways to solve this issue. Not one country, being in active wars, conflicts or skirmishes cannot boast of a high level of social, economic and moral condition of the population. With the onset of the local armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, namely in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, increased, social tensions the psychological state of the population deteriorated, and the number of crimes, including the use of weapons, ammunition and explosives. The problem of the spread of crime with the use of weapons, ammunition or explosives requires state regulation and the search for effective ways to solve it.

The presence of a scattered legal framework in the form of a large number of instructions, departmental orders and directives leads to contradictions The article presents the expediency of adopting a single legal act on the civil circulation of weapons.  This proposal will make it possible to gather in one document the issues of subject composition, permitting nature, procedural system and the order of use of weapons. Ukraine is a state governed by the rule of law, and all relations must be regulated by law, including intercourses related to weapons.

The main sources of illicit supply of arms and ammunition in Ukraine remain the resale of internal supplies and a cross-border trade. All things considered, it is proposed to carry out a number of preventive measures in the law enforcement system.  Due to the high latency nature of weapons theft, there is an emphasis on cooperation between the police and the military prosecutor’s office and sufficient attention to places where weapons can be stored, as well as to control and close the black ways of hittings weapons from the war zone.

The conclusions emphasize the implementation of the proposed effective ways to combat the illicit handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives.

Key words: prevention, firearms, ammunition, explosives, armed conflict, civilian circulation.

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