Hair clippers a threatening weapon?

Not a bad movie overall - I have definitely seen worse but something really bothers me about the scene where the guy in the suit is getting his head shaved at the beginning of the film. After the barber asks if he could have his clothes, the guy in the suit punches him in the face and then grabs the shaver and makes a threatening gesture to two other barbers who were going to try and help and they stop dead in their tracks. There is absolutely no way that style of clippers can hurt a person. What makes the scene worse is the way the barber is screaming for his life as he lays on the floor while getting his head shaved. WTF!?!? Also, is the Red Army really going to tolerate that kind of behavior from its armed forces personnel? That scene was just a little ridiculous.