MOSCOW, October 9 (RIA Novosti) - Russian police are to replace the legendary Kalashnikov assault rifle and the Makarov pistol with Yarygin pistols and PP-2000 submachine guns, a senior Interior Ministry official said on Thursday.

"All police officers are supposed to switch from the Makarov pistol to the Yarygin pistol, with Kalashnikov rifles to be replaced with PP-2000 or Vityaz submachine guns," said Lt. Gen. Mikhail Sukhodolsky, a first deputy Interior Minister.

The general said the new weapons would use bullets with lesser ricochet effect and greater stopping power, which is advantageous for police operations in urban areas.

In addition, police will receive stun guns and other non-lethal weapons, including remotely-controlled devices.

The transitional period will take more than three years, Sukhodolsky added.

All new service weapons have been tested by the military and anti-terrorist units and proved to be very effective in close combat.

For instance, the 9-mm Yarygin pistol, commonly known as Grach (Rook), has been adopted for service with the Russian Armed Forces. Its clip holds 17 bullets while the Makarov's carries only eight.