Lieutenant-general Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov (November 10, 1919 – December 23, 2013) was a Russian general and small arms designer, most famous for developing the AK-47 assault rifle and its improvements, AKM and AK-74, as well as the PK machine gun.
Even though Kalashnikov felt sorrow at the weapons’ uncontrolled distribution, he took pride in his inventions and in their reputation for reliability, emphasizing that his rifle is “a weapon of defense” and “not a weapon for offense”.
Death of Mikhail Kalashnikov
Mikhail Kalashnikov died on December 23, 2013 at a hospital after a prolonged illness.