MOSCOW, August 12. /TASS/. The phenomenon of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, which has gained worldwide fame, lies in the personality of its creator, as well as in the weapon’s reliability, simplicity, and exceptional effectiveness, Alan Lushnikov, CEO of the Kalashnikov Group, said in an interview with TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov.

"I think the reason lies first and foremost in the personality of the man who created the rifle. Mikhail Timofeyevich was a simple soldier who designed the rifle for himself. It just so happened that he combined these qualities - the creative abilities of a designer, dedication to his work, and an understanding of what a simple soldier has to deal with. He spoke about this extensively in his interviews and books. That is why the rifle turned out to be reliable, simple, highly effective, and inexpensive," Lushnikov said, answering a corresponding question.

The Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK) is a line of automatic small arms developed by Soviet and Russian designer M. T. Kalashnikov. The first assault rifle, a 1947 model, was adopted for service in the USSR in 1949.