The man recently injured in a bizarre argument in Russia was shot with an easily available 'non-lethal' weapon. But what are they, and how dangerous can they be in the wrong hands?

Last week, it was reported that a Russian man had been shot with a rubber bullet in an argument over the philosopher Immanuel Kant. The motive might have been unusual, but the shooting was not: rubber-bullet guns, known as "non-lethal" or "trauma" pistols, are gaining popularity in the country. In a 2012 poll, 1% of people claimed to have used a non-lethal weapon or had one used against them.

Firearms are strictly controlled in Russia, but anyone over 18 can buy a trauma pistol. One of the most popular is the Osa, or Wasp, a pocket-sized, four-barrelled weapon with a laser sight. The two-barrelled Strazhnik is even smaller, but its bullets are described as hitting with the same force as a heavyweight boxer. But they can, despite their name, be lethal: at least 70 people were reportedly killed with rubber-bullet weapons over a five-year period.

"The problem with these weapons is that people tend to consider them toys," says Max Popenker, a Russian author and firearms expert. Popenker reviews 22 varieties of non-lethal weapons on his website, and carries one himself, although he has never fired it in anger. "The use of knuckles to settle some personal disputes here, especially among youngsters, is almost socially acceptable, and a less-lethal weapon is often considered just as a long-range way of kicking people."

Popenker adds that police tend to ignore cases where there is only minor injury. At distances of over 35 metres, the Osa generally does little damage, but it can be dangerous close up. "At point-blank range and with light clothing, it may cause a broken rib," says Popenker.

Russian media only tend to report the most serious incidents, or ones where there is an unusual twist, such as an brawl last year when a 22-year-old man assaulted a woman. When her husband came to help her, the assailant shot him with a non-lethal pistol. The husband returned fire with his own Osa. At that point the mother of the assailant, who was also armed with a non-lethal weapon, joined in. All three shooters suffered minor injuries before police broke up the fight.

Although the Russian government has long talked about stricter controls for such weapons, it last year issued several thousand to traffic policemen as a replacement for their Makarov 9mm pistols. The maker of the Osa also announced it had exported test batches to German and Swiss police forces. The German version needed modifications for legal reasons: the laser sight had to be removed as they are only permitted for use by the military.