Mikhail Kalashnikov

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Timofeyevich and the family name is Kalashnikov.
Mikhail Kalashnikov
Михаил Калашников
Deputy of the Supreme Soviet
In office
1950–1958
In office
1966–1989
Personal details
Born
Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov

(1919-11-10)10 November 1919
Kurya, Altai Governorate, Russian State
Died23 December 2013(2013-12-23) (aged 94)
Izhevsk, Udmurtia, Russia
Political partyUnited Russia
CPRF (until 2001)
CPSU (until 1991)
Spouse(s)Ekaterina Viktorovna Kalashnikova (née Moiseyeva; 1921–1977; her death)
Children4, including Victor
Occupation
  • Small arms designer
  • Russian lieutenant general
Known forDesigner of the AK-47, AKM, AK-74, RPK, and PK
Awards

Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov (UK: /kəˈlæʃnɪkɒf/ kə-LASH-nik-off, US: /-ˈlɑːʃ-/ -⁠LAHSH-;[4][5] Russian: Михаил Тимофеевич Калашников, IPA: [mʲɪxɐˈil tʲɪmɐˈfʲejɪvʲɪtɕ kɐˈlaʂnʲɪkəf]; 10 November 1919 – 23 December 2013) was a Soviet and Russian lieutenant general, inventor, military engineer, writer, and small arms designer. He is most famous for developing the AK-47 assault rifle and its improvements, the AKM and AK-74, as well as the RPK light machine gun and PK machine gun.[1]

Kalashnikov was, according to himself, a self-taught tinkerer who combined innate mechanical skills with the study of weaponry to design arms that achieved battlefield ubiquity.[6] 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".[6]

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference bse was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference kpss was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference r3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  5. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.
  6. ^ a b Chivers, C. J. (23 December 2013). "Mikhail Kalashnikov, Creator of AK-47, Dies at 94". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 December 2013.