The number of lost and stolen weapons in Ukraine has almost doubled in a year. Since the start of the full-scale war, more than 491,000 missing weapons have been recorded. This is almost twice as many as last year, according to data from the analytical service Opendatabot.
The bulk of cases are losses of weapons — 94% of the total. Thefts, according to the system, account for only about 6%. This proportion demonstrates serious gaps in accounting and control over the preservation of military and civilian arsenals.
The most common types of weapons that disappear are assault rifles, both combat and captured in the first months of the war. Hunting rifles, which probably belonged to civilian owners or volunteer units, come in second place. More than half of the lost weapons are of foreign origin, while Ukrainian ones account for only about 17%.
The geography of losses also indicates the seriousness of the problem. The leader in the number of missing weapons was Kyiv, where the largest number of cases were recorded. This is followed by the front-line regions: Donetsk region, where fighting continues and part of the territories remain occupied, as well as Mykolaiv, Kyiv and Zaporizhia regions.
Analysts note that the trend towards an increase in the number of lost weapons may pose a danger not only to the front, but also to civilian life. Without proper control and accounting systems, such weapons may end up in criminal structures, creating additional risks for security in the rear.
The problem of lost weapons is becoming systemic and requires increased state supervision, auditing of military warehouses, and a unified electronic control database to prevent further increases in losses.
