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Kalashnikov Regrets Invention's Impact Before Death

Russian inventor expressed spiritual anguish over his AK-47's global use.

New York Editorial News Desk November 4, 2026 1 min read

The Brief

  • Kalashnikov wrote a letter to the Orthodox Church in 2012 expressing regret over his invention's deadly consequences.
  • The AK-47, developed in 1947, became one of the most widely used firearms in the world.
  • Kalashnikov's company was valued at 1.5 billion rubles in 2018.

Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the AK-47 rifle, wrote a letter to the Orthodox Church in May 2012 expressing deep spiritual pain over the weapon's widespread use and the deaths it caused.

The rifle, originally developed in 1947 to protect Russia's borders, became one of the most popular and feared firearms globally due to its ease of production and affordability.

By 2009, over 100 million AK-47 rifles had been manufactured since its invention in Soviet Russia in 1949, according to NPR.

Kalashnikov, who passed away in 2013 at the age of 94, was honored with state awards such as the Order of Lenin and the Hero of Socialist Labour, though he earned little from his invention.

Kalashnikov was born in 1919 in Kurya, Russia, as the 17th of 19 children of peasant parents. He faced significant health challenges in his early years.

His company, which produced the AK-47, was valued at 1.5 billion rubles ($26.39 million) in 2018, according to AFP news.

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