Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the immensely popular AK-47 assault rifle, died on Monday at the age of 94. The man behind the assault weapon that would become legendary in its own right was a celebrated figure in Russia, with a national holiday commemorating his 90th birthday four years ago. Bestowed the honorary title of General, Mikhail Kalashnikov was hailed as a hero in his motherland because of his creation — the AK-47, also known as the Kalashnikov. Russian President Vladimir Putin has gone on record as calling the Kalashnikov “a symbol of the creative genius of the Russian people”. Mikhail Kalashnikov invented this for the “glory of the Soviet army” but little did he know the effect this automatic weapon would have on the rest of the world. Cheap, easy to use and fit for all types of warfare and terrain, the AK-47 has been the weapon of choice for militaries and movements around the world, especially during the post-WW II spate of national liberation and revolutionary struggles in the Third World. In the modern day, this legacy of Mr Kalashnikov’s creation could not have been imagined when the rifle was first produced. The AK-47 can fire as many as 650 bullets in a minute, a fact that has made it a very special weapon indeed. It is used by guerrillas, Islamic militants, criminal gangs and even child soldiers because of the ease with which it can be carried and used to eliminate any threat or enemy. The gun has also been used in mass revolutions across the world, overthrowing dictatorships, becoming a symbol of resistance and change. However, it has come into the wrong hands as well, from invading armies to terrorist groups. Little did Mikhail Kalashnikov know the far-reaching effects and implications his design would have on the rest of the world. Methods of combat have changed because of the AK-47 and the ease with which it can be dismantled and put together once again in less than 30 seconds. It can withstand almost all kinds of corrosive effects, making it the perfect all weather, all terrain weapon. It is estimated that there are around 100 million of the weapons spread around the world today. With its inventor’s demise, a whole period and the aura of romance that attached itself to the AK-47 appears to have ended. *