Russians Warned Against Mixing Drinking and Guns over the Holidays

Paul Goble

            Staunton, January 3 – The Russian Guard is warning Russians who own weapons not to mix drinking and shooting over the long winter holidays lest tragedies result, yet another indication of the number of guns now in private hands in Russia – some estimates put the number at 25 million – and the dangers of people misusing them especially when they are drunk.

            Leonid Vedenov, the head of the Guard’s licensing department which oversees gun ownership, told Russian news outlets that Russian gun owners should remember that they bear special responsibility for their weapons and that over the last year there have been tragedies when Russians got drunk and used their guns (newsru.com/russia/03jan2018/alko_weapon.html).

                He said that when the people involved began their celebrations, they almost certainly did not intend to use their guns to harm or kill anyone but that as they consumed more alcohol, their judgment was impaired and they did just that.  Anyone who owns a gun, Vedenev continued, should remember that.

            The Russian Guard officer also reminded Russians that inebriation will in no way lessen their responsibilities before the law and that those who have children must ensure that the latter do not gain access to the guns when their parents are drinking – or indeed at any other time when the youngsters are not supervised.