MOSCOW, January 29 - RAPSI. Russia’s Interior Ministry is planning to buy over 6,800 stun guns in 2013 for the police, the ministry said on Tuesday.

The 56.6-million-ruble (almost $2 million) contract will be part of the state defense order, the ministry said in a note on its website.

Stun guns are designed to assist detention of an offender “in a state of alcoholic or narcotic intoxication, or an attack dog” when the use of firearms would be unjustified, the ministry said.

Stun guns are a relatively recent type of “special police device” in Russia, the ministry said, adding US police have been using them since the 1970s. Previous Russian media reports said police at football matches and public rallies will be equipped with stun guns.