Athens, Jan 8 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Robbers armed with Russian-designed Kalashnikov assault rifles or similar military-type assault weapons may soon face up to life in prison under new legislation drafted by the Greek ministry of justice.

The Ethos newspaper reported that the ministry was planning to submit the amendment to the law for the parliament's consideration in the near future in an attempt to curb the recent surge of attacks by armed robbers using relatively inexpensive assault weaponry smuggled into the country from neighbouring Albania.

The current laws stipulate a maximum sentence of 25 years in jail for these crimes.

Since Greece was hit by a severe financial crisis three years ago, the number of violent attacks on banks, stores, gas stations, museums and even churches increased dramatically.

In a daring assault on a gas station in an Athens suburb in December, robbers armed with Kalashnikovs literally "outgunned" law enforcement officers from a nearby police station.