<img title="A man uses an angle grinder (bottom) to remove part of the monument to Mikhail Kalashnikov allegedly featuring a German rifle. Pics/AFP" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/sep/grinder.jpg" alt="A man uses an angle grinder (bottom) to remove part of the monument to Mikhail Kalashnikov allegedly featuring a German rifle. Pics/AFP" /> A man uses an angle grinder (bottom) to remove part of the monument to Mikhail Kalashnikov allegedly featuring a German rifle. Pics/AFP
Workers have removed part of a new monument to Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the Soviet Union's legendary AK-47 assault rifle, after eagle-eyed Russians noticed that it mistakenly depicted a German weapon of World War II.
Just three days ago, the monument to the creator of one of Russia's best known export brands was unveiled with much fanfare in central Moscow. A metal bas-relief behind a statue of Kalashnikov depicts the AK-47 and other weapons all supposedly designed by the engineer, who died in 2013.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/sep/grinder-a.jpg" alt="" />
But, on Friday, embarrassed sculptor Salavat Shcherbakov had to admit that among them was the Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifle used by Nazi troops at the end of World War II. "We will rectify this," Shcherbakov said. "It looks like this [mistake] sneaked in from the Internet."
By Friday evening a square hole gaped where the German rifle had been depicted in the bas-relief. Kalashnikov's wea-pon, created in 1947, does have a striking resemblance to German arms designer Hugo Schmeissers's StG 44 rifle, created in 1942, although they have major design differences.
The AK-47, the small-arms mainstay of Russia's armed forces for over 60 years, is called by some experts the most effective weapon ever made. Every fifth firearm in the world is a Kalashnikov, the Kalashnikov Concern manufacturer said on its website.
70 mn No. of AK-47 rifles produced over the past 60 years

Workers have removed part of a new monument to Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the Soviet Union's legendary AK-47 assault rifle, after eagle-eyed Russians noticed that it mistakenly depicted a German weapon of World War II

Kalashnikov statue altered after sculptor's monumental error

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Home / News / World News / Article / Kalashnikov statue altered after sculptor's monumental error

Kalashnikov statue altered after sculptor's monumental error

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