Lithuania Cancels All Gun Permits Issued to Russian and Belarusian Citizens

According to the Lithuanian Police Department, all permits to possess or carry weapons held by 294 Russian and 46 Belarusian citizens have been cancelled.

"There are two people who have not yet had their weapons taken away. They have been contacted, but they are not in Lithuania at the moment. The weapons will be seized upon their return to Lithuania," the police department said.

At the beginning of 2024, all persons were informed in writing of the possibility of voluntarily selling their weapons or handing them over by 1 April. Most Russian and Belarusian citizens took advantage of this opportunity, and the police seized the remaining weapons after the 1 April deadline.

"Some of the weapons were transferred to gun shops for consignment sale. Some weapons are temporarily stored in police offices," the police said.

The ban on gun ownership for Russian and Belarusian citizens permanently residing in Lithuania was initiated by Defence Minister Laurinas Kasciunas, former chairman of the parliamentary committee on national security and defence.

The politician said that the amendment to the Law on Control of Arms and Ammunition would help prevent the creation and operation of sabotage groups in favour of aggressor states.