The Russians are a funny bunch. They wear big furry hats even in summer, they drink vodka like it’s tap water and they take shotguns and axes into space. Hold up…say what now?

It has recently been revealed that up until 2007 Russian astronauts were taking weapons into space with them on each mission. If you’re anything like me you’re probably hoping it was to start a barney with some marauding Yankee space explorers, but alas no such luck. This from Metro:

The weapons were part of a ‘survival kit’ which was designed to help if the crew’s craft veered off course during landing or take-off…

Much of Russia is desolate wilderness. A single mishap during descent could strand cosmonauts in the middle of nowhere.

The shotgun was meant to be used to kill bears in the remote Russian wilderness, with the sharp blade attached doubling up as a machete or axe for wood-cutting.

The gun has been removed from the survival kit since 2007, meaning cosmonauts stranded in the Siberia will have to do their bear-murdering the old fashioned way now. You know, a truckload of vodka for some Dutch courage and someone putting a ciggie butt out on the back of your neck to make you real woes.

[source:metro]