Marshalling the traffic: a preliminary exploration of the illegal firearms trade in Ukraine during martial law

Abstract

The russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the subsequent war have increased both the circulation and use of illegal firearms. The imposition of martial law, intended to help secure territorial defences and the safety of the people, has also, unintentionally, influenced the illegal firearms trade in Ukraine. The impact of martial law in this context is not fully known, and there is a paucity of empirical research directed towards illuminating the issue. Accordingly, by drawing upon open sources and original empirical efforts, this article makes a novel contribution towards enhancing our understanding of this impact by shedding light on some of the factors influencing the contemporary demand and supply of firearms; the types of firearms most frequently handled illegally; and the general composition of the Ukrainian market under conditions of martial law.