SSU has dismantled seven channels for illegal sale of weapons: one tonne of explosives seized. PHOTOS
The SSU, the State Bureau of Investigation and the National Police have dismantled seven illegal arms trafficking channels. Law enforcement officers seized over a tonne of explosives, drones, grenade launchers and automatic weapons, and arrested the organisers.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by the SSU.
During the special operation, law enforcement officers seized over 1,000 kg of explosives, attack drones, grenade launchers, Kalashnikov assault rifles – including modern Russian AK-12s – combat grenades and ammunition of various calibres.
The arrests took place in several regions of Ukraine
A resident of the Mykolaiv region brought a consignment of ‘captured’ weapons to Kyiv. As the investigation revealed, these had been illegally removed from the combat zone. The man was storing the weapons in the garage of an acquaintance in Kramatorsk. He was caught red-handed in the capital.
In the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, a criminal gang comprising three local residents was dismantled; they had been selling weapons and ammunition illegally removed from frontline areas. During the searches, hundreds of kilograms of explosives, homemade explosive devices, rocket-propelled flamethrowers, mines, grenade rounds and ammunition were seized.
In Donetsk Oblast, the commander of an engineering and sapper company was arrested whilst attempting to sell two decommissioned hexacopters, machine guns and an AGS-17 ‘Plamya’ automatic grenade launcher. Explosive substances were also found in his rented garage.
Among those implicated is a soldier who was considered missing in action
In the Vinnytsia region, law enforcement officers uncovered a serviceman who had officially been listed as missing in action since February 2025 but, according to the investigation, had been organising the illegal sale of captured weapons.
An AK-74 assault rifle, a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher, three anti-personnel mines, seven grenades, five TNT blocks and nearly 200 grams of plastic explosive were found in his hideout.
In addition, a repeat offender was arrested in the region whilst attempting to sell weapons that had been smuggled out of frontline areas.
In the Sumy region, a resident of the Okhtyrka district was caught storing and attempting to sell a PKP machine gun, more than two dozen grenades, seven grenade launcher rounds and an anti-personnel mine.
In Kherson, a local resident was detained whilst attempting to sell an AKS-74U assault rifle with ammunition. According to the investigation, the weapon had been stolen during the temporary occupation of the city.
The suspects face up to 15 years’ imprisonment
All those detained have been notified of charges under articles relating to the unlawful handling of weapons, committing a crime as part of a group, and the theft of military property under martial law.
The penalties under the relevant articles provide for imprisonment for a term of between seven and 15 years.
