More than a hundred Russian schoolchildren were taught to assemble AK-47s in a Moscow park on Saturday as the country this weekend celebrates the centenary of the birth of Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the legendary rifle.

On Sunday, the 100th anniversary of Kalashnikov's birth is to be marked by a number of events, including museum display, a biopic and patriotic lessons.&nbsp;

On Saturday, dozens of boys and girls, some clad in camouflage fatigues, took part in a competition that saw them play paintball and assemble mock-up Kalashnikov rifles in a park in southern Moscow.

"At least 100 people took apart the Kalashnikovs today," Andrei Starykh, a director at the youth organisation that organised the competition, Gvardia, proudly told AFP.

He said Gvardia regularly organises similar events and Saturday's get-together was not directly linked to Kalashnikov's anniversary.&nbsp;

He insisted however that children in Russia need to know "real-life' and therefore have to know how to assemble the celebrated weapon.

"How can one not know?" asked instructor Roman Kuzmin.

"So much is happening around the country," he said, adding that boys are often mesmerised by the gun.

"There's nothing extra there, it is very beautiful."

Kalashnikov, who died in 2013 at the age of 94, is seen in Russia as a national hero and symbol of the country's proud military past.

His assault rifle has become a weapon of choice for both guerrillas and governments the world over.

It is also a staple of military education in Russia.

More than 100 million Kalashnikovs have been sold worldwide and about 50 armies use the AK-47 including those in Iraq and Somalia.

More than a hundred Russian schoolchildren were taught to assemble AK-47s in a Moscow park on Saturday as the country this weekend celebrates the centenary of the birth of Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the legendary rifle.

More than a hundred Russian schoolchildren were taught to assemble AK-47s in a Moscow park on Saturday as the country this weekend celebrates the centenary of the birth of Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the legendary rifle. On Sunday, the 100th anniversary of Kalashnikov's birth is to be marked by a number of events, including museum display, a biopic and patriotic lessons. On Saturday, dozens of boys and girls, some clad in camouflage fatigues, took part in a competition that saw them play paintball and assemble mock-up Kalashnikov rifles in a park in southern Moscow. "At least 100 people took apart the Kalashnikovs today," Andrei Starykh, a director at the youth organisation that organised the competition, Gvardia, proudly told AFP. He said Gvardia regularly organises similar events and Saturday's get-together was not directly linked to Kalashnikov's anniversary. He insisted however that children in Russia need to know "real-life' and therefore have to know how to assemble the celebrated weapon. "How can one not know?" asked instructor Roman Kuzmin. "So much is happening around the country," he said, adding that boys are often mesmerised by the gun. "There's nothing extra there, it is very beautiful." Kalashnikov, who died in 2013 at the age of 94, is seen in Russia as a national hero and symbol of the country's proud military past. His assault rifle has become a weapon of choice for both guerrillas and governments the world over. It is also a staple of military education in Russia. More than 100 million Kalashnikovs have been sold worldwide and about 50 armies use the AK-47 including those in Iraq and Somalia.

Students learn to assemble AK-47 rifles as Russia marks Kalashnikov's centenary

Private investors have for the first time gained a majority share of Russia&#39;s <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Kalashnikov" >Kalashnikov</a> arms manufacturer, producer of the famed AK-47 assault rifle, the company said Thursday.

Russia&#39;s state-run holding company Rostec said in a statement it had reduced its stake from 51 percent to a blocking stake of 25 percent plus one share. 
 
It made the sale to Kalashnikov&#39;s general director Alexei Krivoruchko, who was already a shareholder in the Kalashnikov concern, and his company. 
 
The deal cost &quot;a total of more than 1.5 billion rubles&quot; ($26.39 million), Rostec said. 
 
This valuation of the company is almost double that of 2014 when Rostec opened the firm up to a public-private partnership. 
 
The move comes as the firm is going through a major transformation, diversifying its production and focusing on exports despite being under US sanctions because of the Ukraine crisis.

Founded in 1807 in Izhevsk -- 1,300 kilometres east of Moscow -- the former Izhmash factory has undergone a series of upheavals since 2013 when Rostec merged it with another plant and renamed it the umbrella company Kalashnikov after Mikhail Kalashnikov, who invented the AK-47 in 1947.

It became standard issue in the Soviet army and the world&#39;s most popular firearm due to its reliability in different weather conditions and the fact it was produced in a number of countries. 
 
Just before his death at the age of 94 in 2013, Kalashnikov complained to President Vladimir Putin about mismanagement and low wages at the firm. 
 
Since private investors came on board under Krivoruchko, the company has developed new models of guns and changed its image to maximise the returns from its famous name with a clothing line and souvenirs.

Last year, Russia put up a statue of Mikhail Kalashnikov in Moscow but there were red faces as it emerged the sculptor mistakenly used a drawing of a Nazi weapon on the base.

Mikhail Kalashnikov, the Russian inventor of the AK-47 assault rifle, died on December 23, 2013 at the age of 94

Private investors have for the first time gained a majority share of Russia's Kalashnikov arms manufacturer, producer of the famed AK-47 assault rifle, the company said Thursday. Russia's state-run holding company Rostec said in a statement it had reduced its stake from 51 percent to a blocking stake of 25 percent plus one share. It made the sale to Kalashnikov's general director Alexei Krivoruchko, who was already a shareholder in the Kalashnikov concern, and his company. The deal cost "a total of more than 1.5 billion rubles" ($26.39 million), Rostec said. This valuation of the company is almost double that of 2014 when Rostec opened the firm up to a public-private partnership. The move comes as the firm is going through a major transformation, diversifying its production and focusing on exports despite being under US sanctions because of the Ukraine crisis. Founded in 1807 in Izhevsk -- 1,300 kilometres east of Moscow -- the former Izhmash factory has undergone a series of upheavals since 2013 when Rostec merged it with another plant and renamed it the umbrella company Kalashnikov after Mikhail Kalashnikov, who invented the AK-47 in 1947. It became standard issue in the Soviet army and the world's most popular firearm due to its reliability in different weather conditions and the fact it was produced in a number of countries. Just before his death at the age of 94 in 2013, Kalashnikov complained to President Vladimir Putin about mismanagement and low wages at the firm. Since private investors came on board under Krivoruchko, the company has developed new models of guns and changed its image to maximise the returns from its famous name with a clothing line and souvenirs. Last year, Russia put up a statue of Mikhail Kalashnikov in Moscow but there were red faces as it emerged the sculptor mistakenly used a drawing of a Nazi weapon on the base.

Russia's Kalashnikov becomes majority private-owned

mikhail-kalashnikov

Mikhail Kalashnikov, News on Mikhail Kalashnikov, stories on Mikhail Kalashnikov, articles on Mikhail Kalashnikov, Mikhail Kalashnikov stories at Wion, Mikhail Kalashnikov news, Mikhail Kalashnikov latest news

mikhail kalashnikov

Students learn to assemble AK-47 rifles as Russia marks Kalashnikov's centenary

Russia's Kalashnikov becomes majority private-owned