Bashtova O. Administrative and Legal Framework for Control over Civilian Firearms Circulation by the National Police of Ukraine

The thesis for obtaining a scientific degree of Doctor of Philosophy in speciality 081 “Law.” – National Academy of Internal Affairs, Kyiv, 2025. The thesis studies the administrative and legal framework for control over civilian firearms circulation by the National Police of Ukraine. It is proved that administrative and legal framework for regulating civilian firearms circulation in Ukraine has a typical structural characteristic consisting of standard elements, the object being the most important among them. It is emphasised that civilian firearms circulation as an object to be regulated by administrative law is specific with regard to the regulatory and legal instruments which ensure streamlining of public relations in this field. It is noted that the content of civilian firearms circulation as the subject matter of control activities of the National Police is provided by specific objects of the material world which are correlated in the context of firearms circulation as a whole and a part. Civilian firearms circulation as an object of administrative and legal framework and as a matter of control activities of the National Police is a set of public relations regulated by administrative law aimed at preventing and detecting violations of the established rules of civilian firearms circulation through the use of educational, training, technical and law-restrictive activities within the scope of the functionality that provides for automation of firearms accounting processes, monitoring of its manufacture, storage, use, identification, etc. The specific features of the institution of civilian firearms circulation as the subject matter of control activities of the National Police are determined. It is emphasised that the administrative activities of the National Police require high-quality performance by the police of the relevant functions which are directly aimed at ensuring human and civil rights and freedoms by administrative and legal methods and means, which primarily include persuasion and coercion. Moreover, the content and essence of the control function of the National Police over civilian firearms circulation is entirely entrusted to separately authorised units competent to exercise appropriate control and supervision over these social processes. The specific feature of this institution is that a clearly defined circle of persons shall be obliged to fully perform their official duties and exercise their rights within the framework of ensuring compliance with all principles and principles established by the legislation of Ukraine in the field of civilian firearms circulation, which includes not only ownership, but also the processes of manufacturing, sale, repair and maintenance.