Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer of the assault rifle that has killed more people than any other firearm in the world, has died in hospital at the age of 94.
The creator of the AK-47 more than 60 years ago died in hospital his home city of Izhevsk, near the Ural Mountains - where his gun is still made.
He had been ill for some time and had been in intensive care since November 17.
Deadly icon: Mikhail Kalashnikov with the weapon that made his fortune - and won him praise and condemnation. There is one AK-47 for every 70 people in the world, the deadliest weapon ever created
Soviet hero: Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1949, two years after the weapon he invented went into mass production
Legacy of death: Mikhail Kalashnikov celebrating the 50th anniversary of his weapon in 1997 (left) with a t-shirt listing some of the conflicts in which it was intrumental. Right, at his home near the town where it is still made
Honoured: He met President Vladimir Putin just three months ago. Mr Putin expressed his 'deep condolences'
Kalashnikov, a Russian peasant with little formal education, designed the eponymous rifle in 1947 - with the letters AK-47 referring to 'Kalashnikov's Automatic' (Avtomat Kalashnikova) and the year of its release.
But the rifle and its variants soon became the weapons of choice for dozens of armies and guerrilla groups around the world.
SOURCE-DAILYM
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