The gunman, described as having been born in Moscow and previously residing in eastern Ukraine, opened fire with a registered weapon near a supermarket in the capital on Saturday.

Authorities have not disclosed a motive.Public anger has intensified in the aftermath, particularly following reports that two law enforcement officers since suspended fled the scene. The incident has prompted renewed calls from some politicians and citizens for broader access to firearms for self-defense.

Oleksandra Ustinova, a member of parliament’s domestic security committee, said the attack underscored vulnerabilities in public protection, writing on social media that more needed to be done to address security realities.Ukraine maintains tight controls on civilian firearms.

Handguns are effectively prohibited, while licenses for other weapons, such as hunting rifles, are granted under strict conditions. Fewer than 10 percent of households possess a firearm, according to estimates by the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey, which has also reported that Russia’s 2022 invasion did not significantly increase civilian gun ownership.

At the outset of the invasion, authorities distributed thousands of small arms to civilians but later reimposed tighter controls and increased seizures, according to the group.

Debate over reform has persisted since parliament approved draft legislation regulating civilian firearm possession and use for self-defense on the eve of the February 2022 invasion, though the bills remain unpassed.

Igor Fris, a lawmaker involved in drafting the legislation, said the recent shooting might have been deterred if civilians were permitted to carry weapons, arguing that potential attackers could be discouraged by the prospect of armed bystanders.

However, he acknowledged that Ukraine’s wartime conditions and heightened public stress would necessitate a phased approach to any policy change.Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said discussions on firearm regulation would be revisited following the incident.

Opposition to loosening restrictions remains firm among some lawmakers. Inna Sovsun, a member of parliament, questioned the rationale for expanding access to weapons when the firearm used in the attack had been legally registered, emphasizing concerns about increased risks to public safety.

Public opinion appears mixed. Surveys cited by the Small Arms Survey indicate that while a significant portion of Ukrainian men without firearms express interest in owning one, concerns over safety, regulation and enforcement persist, particularly as the country continues to navigate the pressures of ongoing conflict.

In the border village of Barikot, a school complex serving primary to high school students has been heavily damaged, with classrooms littered with debris and abandoned materials after weeks of shelling that residents attributed to Pakistani forces.

Most of the village’s roughly 8,000 residents fled following the outbreak of hostilities in late February.The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the Barikot facility is among 22 schools in urgent need of reconstruction in Kunar province.

Around 12,000 students affected by the conflict require safe learning spaces or support to resume classes, according to a report issued this month.AFP journalists who visited Barikot after access roads reopened this week described deserted streets and shuttered or destroyed shops.

Residents returning to assess the damage said essential infrastructure, including a medical center, had also been hit.Hundreds of civilians have been killed across Afghanistan amid the cross-border violence, according to the United Nations, before China facilitated talks that largely halted the fighting.

Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of harboring militants responsible for attacks on its territory, an allegation Afghan authorities deny.The conflict has displaced more than 94,000 people, with over a quarter from Kunar province, OCHA data shows.

Many have taken refuge along the Kunar River, living in makeshift shelters with limited access to clean water, sanitation and healthcare.Aid groups say conditions in displacement camps are deteriorating. The Norwegian Refugee Council described the humanitarian situation as “dire,” citing urgent needs for shelter, water and sanitation services, and healthcare.

Local officials say schools in nearby areas are already overcrowded, complicating efforts to absorb displaced students. Authorities are considering relocating families to more structured camps established after a major earthquake last year.

Residents expressed concern over the long-term impact on education. Displaced families reported that children have been unable to attend classes for weeks, with some schools entirely shut due to damage or lack of capacity.

Birol told Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung that recovery timelines would vary across countries, with some producers facing longer setbacks than others. He said overall output in the region was expected to return to pre-war levels in roughly two years, citing uneven infrastructure damage and differing production capacities.

He cautioned that markets may be underestimating the consequences of continued instability in the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil and gas shipments. While cargoes dispatched before the outbreak of hostilities have largely reached their destinations, he said the absence of new shipments in March was beginning to create supply gaps, particularly for Asian markets.

“No new tankers were loaded in March,” Birol said, adding that if the strait remains closed, the shortfall could translate into sustained upward pressure on global energy prices.The disruption comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the region, which have curtailed production and complicated export logistics.

Energy analysts have pointed to the Strait of Hormuz as a critical vulnerability, handling a significant share of global seaborne crude and liquefied natural gas flows.Birol said the IEA remained prepared to intervene through coordinated releases of emergency oil reserves, following a similar move earlier in March aimed at stabilizing markets.

He added that while such action was not yet imminent, it remained under active consideration should supply conditions deteriorate further.

Up to 60 international missions would typically be active at Iraqi excavation sites, but all have now left the country, according to a government official in Baghdad, halting work on some of the world’s oldest known civilizations.

German archaeologist Adelheid Otto of the University of Munich said her team had begun work at the ancient city of Shuruppak, modern-day Tell Fara, on Feb. 28, the day the conflict started. The group initially continued operations despite nearby rocket and drone activity.

However, Iraqi authorities later advised them to leave, cutting short research that had already yielded discoveries including ancient cuneiform tablets.

Otto described the interruption as a significant setback to ongoing work.At the site of Nippur, a 6,000-year-old city, University of Chicago professor Augusta McMahon said her team departed on March 10 under pressure to evacuate amid escalating security concerns.

The eight-member team was escorted out of the area by Iraqi officials.McMahon said the evacuation marked her third withdrawal from the region in recent years, following earlier disruptions in Iraq in 2024 and Syria in 2011.

She noted the impact on both international researchers and Iraqi colleagues, whose work depends heavily on sustained field access.

The suspension of excavations leaves key heritage sites, including those linked to early Mesopotamian civilizations, without active international collaboration as security conditions remain uncertain.