Russian authorities have initiated the forced confiscation of smoothbore firearms from hunters in the temporarily occupied areas of the Zaporizhzhia region. This action is being carried out under the pretext of meeting military needs.
The occupying administration is attempting to present these seizures as a form of “voluntary charitable donation.” Reports from Melitopol indicate that occupiers have already claimed 14 hunting rifles from local residents.
According to sources from the Central National Security Service (CNS), the firearms are being taken under severe pressure. Owners are being directly threatened with “problems” from the Russian National Guard and occupying police if they refuse to comply.
Additionally, residents in the occupied territories are facing intimidation through sudden building searches, regular inspections, and fabricated criminal cases for alleged “illegal possession” of firearms.
Due to the genuine threat of imprisonment and repression, many hunters feel compelled to surrender their rifles.
The Russian military intends to transfer these civilian firearms directly to the front lines. The military plans to utilize civilian hunting rifles to combat Ukrainian FPV drones.
This shift to using such types of weaponry comes as the Russian army faces significant losses in equipment on the front and a critical shortage of specialized anti-drone technology and electronic warfare tools.
The CNS has noted that Russia has effectively transformed the occupied Ukrainian territories into a “resource base” for its military operations.
Russian forces are forcibly confiscating civilian firearms from hunters in the Zaporizhzhia region, claiming military necessity. This action reflects broader strategies to bolster military capabilities amid equipment shortages.