Famous designer of firearms Mikhail Kalashnikov lived a bright and long life. Round anniversaries of the creator of the legendary assault rifle were accompanied by memorable events, i.e. awards of orders, conferment of military ranks, the opening of museums, named after him. On November 10, 2009, there was Mikhail Kalashnikov’s 90th birthday. Due to this memorable date, the hero of the anniversary was awarded the Hero of Russia Star. Mikhail Kalashnikov was received in the Kremlin by President of the Russian Federation by Dmitry Medvedev, who handed to him the top state award — the Gold Star medal.

The Gold Star medal was established as a distinction to the title of the Hero of the Russian Federation. It appeared in this country after the cessation of the USSR and replaced the highest Soviet award – the golden star, which was awarded to the Heroes of the Soviet Union. Visually, the new Russian award is an exact copy of the USSR’s medal with the exception of the ribbon, in which the colouring of the Soviet flag was replaced by the three-colour symbol of Russia.

At the meeting, it was said that the famous AK-47 assault rifle became one of the best national brands and such large-scale inventions helped to advance the country a lot. It was also noted that the Kalashnikov assault rifle is an invention, which has not lost its relevance over several decades. AK-47 is still very popular in the territory of the Russian Federation and abroad, in many other countries. The President underscored that there was quite a lack of such brilliant inventions as the AK-47 in all spheres of life.

The Kalashnikov assault rifle became a legend back in the middle of the previous century. Mikhail Timofeyevich was awarded the Stalin Prize of the first degree and the Order of the Red Star. AK-47 gained its incredible popularity due to its simple and convenient design in combination with high functionality and reliability. According to Mr. Kalashnikov himself, simplicity and reliability are the main criteria, which he followed while creating AK-47.

Among ordinary people, the famous assault rifle was called “Kalash”, and any school student was able of assembling and disassembling it at the lessons of elementary military training. The fame of АК-47 spread far beyond the Soviet territory — the famous assault rifle is pictured even on national emblems of some countries. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is the most widespread firearm in modern civilization, numbering about one hundred million pieces.

The AK-47 assault rifle was honoured by a monument and the issuing of commemorative coins. Summing up the results of the 20th century, the French newspaper “Liberation” put the Kalashnikov assault rifle in first place among the inventions of the century, as a result of which AK-47 was ahead of such technological advances as space exploration and the creation of atomic weapons.

Irrespective of the fact that there is also some sad statistics, related to the Kalashnikov assault rifle (there have been more people, killed by AK-47, than by other types of weapons), Mikhail Kalashnikov always underlined that he was creating his firearms for protection and not for attacking or killing people. And in his speech of response at the ceremony of the Gold Star medal award he repeated exactly the same words. Mr. Kalashnikov handed to President Medvedev for the good memory a sign depicting the AK-47 assault rifle, an album and a book written by him.