MOSCOW, March 11 - RAPSI. Russian legislators need to do more to deter the firing of weapons within Russian city limits, the Russian government reported on its website Monday in response to its analysis of a bill seeking to increase fines for such offenses. 

Last October, lawmakers for the ruling United Russia party Sergei Zheleznyak, Dmitry Vyatkin, and Robert Shlegel introduced a bill proposing amendments to the Administrative Code that would increase penalties for shooting in cities and towns.

They proposed increasing fines for such offenses to 50,000 rubles ($1,625).

While it is unclear from the text whether the bill pertains specifically to non-lethal guns as opposed to all guns, exceedingly strict laws with regard to the possession of regular firearms in Russia has led to the reality that regular shootings are rare in the country.

A non-lethal gun is an informal term for a self-defense weapon firing rubber bullets.

"The following clauses of the bill, calling for administrative fines of the earlier stated amounts, require additional justification, as this type of offense does not pose a greater public danger than drug trafficking and abuse," the statement reads.

According to the government, the bill needs to be revised while taking its comments into account.

The initiative was triggered by a high-profile case involving a shooting in central Moscow on September 30, 2012, which led to a public uproar.

Participants in a wedding procession led by a Ferrari followed by other luxury vehicles fired non-lethal guns into the air while the cars blocked traffic, Gazeta.Ru reported earlier. They explained their actions by claiming that it is a Dagestani cultural tradition.

Fifteen wedding participants were detained and released after police reports were filed.

The shooter was detained for 15 days.

He also paid a 2,000 ruble ($65) fine. The case was followed by several similar incidents.