The Security Service of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and the National Police have prevented new attempts to illegally sell weapons and ammunition in various regions of Ukraine.
As a result of coordinated operations, seven underground channels for the sale of weapons and explosives were dismantled, and the organizers of the schemes were detained.
Items seized from the suspects included more than 1,000 kg of explosives, attack drones, grenade launchers, Kalashnikov assault rifles, including modern Russian-made AK-12 rifles, as well as an arsenal of combat grenades and ammunition of various calibres.
In Kyiv, a resident of Mykolaiv region was detained while attempting to sell a batch of “trophy” weapons illegally removed from the combat zone on the eastern front.
To illegally store the weapons, he used a garage belonging to an acquaintance in Kramatorsk.
In Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, law enforcement neutralized a criminal group involved in weapons trafficking. According to the investigation, the group consisted of three local residents who sold weapons and ammunition illegally removed from frontline areas.
During searches at the suspects’ locations, law enforcement officers also seized hundreds of kilograms of explosives prepared for sale, as well as improvised explosive devices.
In addition, the suspects were found in possession of rocket-propelled flamethrowers, grenade launcher rounds, mines, and small arms ammunition.
In Donetsk region, a commander of an engineering and sapper company was detained while attempting to sell two decommissioned hexacopters, as well as machine guns and an AGS-17 “Plamya” automatic grenade launcher found at the frontline.
During searches of a garage he rented to store weapons, additional explosives were discovered.
In Vinnytsia region, law enforcement exposed a serviceman who had been listed as missing since February 2025 but was allegedly attempting to organize the illegal sale of “trophy” weapons during that time.
Investigators discovered a weapons cache where he stored an AK-74 assault rifle, an anti-tank rocket launcher, three anti-personnel mines, seven grenades, five TNT blocks, and nearly 200 grams of plastic explosive.
Law enforcement also detained a repeat offender in the region who had previously served five sentences for theft and robbery and was allegedly attempting to sell weapons secretly removed from frontline areas in eastern Ukraine.
In Sumy region, a resident of Okhtyrka district was exposed for attempting to profit from the sale of weapons illegally transported from the front line.
During searches, investigators seized, among other items, a PKP machine gun, more than 20 combat grenades, seven grenade launcher rounds, and an anti-personnel mine.
In Kherson, a local resident was detained while attempting to illegally sell an AKS-74U assault rifle with a loaded magazine and additional 5.45 mm ammunition.
According to the investigation, the weapons and ammunition had been stolen during the temporary occupation of the regional centre for subsequent sale.
The detainees have been notified of suspicion under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- Part 1 of Article 263 — illegal handling of weapons, ammunition, or explosives;
- Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 263 — illegal handling of weapons, ammunition, or explosives committed by a group of persons acting under prior agreement;
- Part 4 of Article 410 — theft of military property committed under martial law.
The suspects face sentences ranging from 7 to 15 years in prison.
The operations were carried out under the procedural supervision of the Okhtyrka District Prosecutor’s Office, the Vinnytsia and Kherson Regional Prosecutor’s Offices, the Kharkiv Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in the Defence Sector of the Eastern Region, the Darnytsia Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in the Defence Sector of the Central Region, and the Donetsk Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in the Defence Sector of the Eastern Region.
