All news

Proposals to legalise firearms in Russia dangerous for society -- MP

A possible legalisation of arms in Russia has been repeatedly discussed at various levels, including in the State Duma
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, December 15 (Itar-Tass) —— The ruling United Russia party called for taking into account the sad American experience and stop disputes about legalisation of firearms in Russia.

“The shooting of kids in the U.S. is a horrendous crime which, unfortunately, has once again confirmed the danger and irreparability of consequences that the spread of arms has,” State Duma Security and Anti-Corruption Committee Chair Irina Yarovaya of United Russia said on Saturday, December 15.

In her opinion, the accident in Connecticut should teach Russia a lesson and “those who lobby the spread of arms in our country and who from time to time like to cite U.S. experience must understand at last their responsibility and stop forcing upon society their proposals that essentially bear a real public threat to society”.

As a result of the shooting in an elementary school in Newtown, CT, 130 kilometres northeast of New York on Friday, 20 children aged 5-10 were killed. The 20-year-old perpetrator, Adam Lanza, entered a classroom with two pistols and a rifle and fired at his mother, who taught at that school, and all of her pupils. He also killed another five school employees. Police said he was acting alone. Lanza was found dead inside the school building. He might have killed himself.

U.S. President Barack Obama has announced a four-day national mourning. President Vladimir Putin has sent his condolences in connection with the tragedy.

A possible legalisation of arms in Russia has been repeatedly discussed at various levels, including in the State Duma. However Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev spoke up strongly against such a move. In an interview with Russian television channels on December 7, he said: “I’m not in favour of returning to the blood alcohol content system and I think that it is not good for our country – similar to gun ownership. Americans say that guns are part of the American mindset and their legal and political culture, but look at the loss of life caused by the improper and criminal use of weapons? I don't believe that we should go down that path.”