When a young man, I read somewhere the following: God the Almighty said, 'All that is too complex is unnecessary, and it is simple that is needed.' So this has been my lifetime motto – I have been creating weapons to defend the borders of my fatherland, to be simple and reliable.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

Categorized in : Men Simple Ak 47

Things that are complex are not useful, Things that are useful are simple.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

complexes useful-things simple

I would prefer to have invented a machine that people could use and that would help farmers with their work - for example a lawnmower.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

ak-47 example people

I created a weapon to defend the borders of my motherland. It's not my fault that it's being used where it shouldn't be. The politicians are more to blame for this.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

ak-47 borders weapons

Before attempting to create something new, it is vital to have a good appreciation of everything that already exists in this field.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

something-new fields appreciation

The fact that people die because of an AK-47 is not because of the designer, but because of politics.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

ak-47 facts people

My aim was to create armaments to protect the borders of my motherland. It is not my fault that the Kalashnikov became very well-known in the world; that it was used in many troubled places. I think the policies of these countries are to blame, not the designers. Man is born to protect his family, his children, his wife. But I want you to know that apart from armaments, I have written three books in which I try to educate our youth to show respect for their families, for old people, for history.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

country book children

When I see Bin Laden with his AK-47, I got nervous. But what can I do, terrorists aren't fools: they too chose the most reliable guns.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

ak-47 fool gun

I sleep well. It's the politicians who are to blame for failing to come to an agreement and resorting to violence.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

ak-47 agreement sleep

It is the Germans who are responsible for the fact that I became a fabricator of arms. If not for them, I would have constructed agricultural machines. (...) If someone asks me how I can sleep at night knowing that my arms have killed millions of people, I respond that I have no problem sleeping, my conscience is clean. I constructed arms to defend my country.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

sleep night country

My work is my life, and my life is my work. I invented this assault rifle to defend my country. Today, I am proud that it has become for many synonymous with liberty.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

rifles liberty country

It is painful for me to see when criminal elements of all kinds fire from my weapon.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

ak-47 criminals fire

I wanted to invent an engine that could run for ever. I could have developed a new train, had I stayed in the railway. It would have looked like the AK-47 though.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

ak-47 wanted running

I'm proud of my invention, but I'm sad that it is used by terrorists.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

ak-47 invention proud

Then it was like a genie out of the bottle and it began to walk all on its own and in directions I did not want.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

genies bottles want

You see, with [designing]weapons, it is like a woman who bears children. For months she carries her baby and thinks about it. A designer does much the same thing with a prototype. I felt like a mother - always proud. It is a special feeling, as if you were awarded with a special award. I shot with it a lot. I still do now. That is why I am hard of hearing.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

mother baby children

I am still ready to shake hands with anyone who designs a better assault rifle than mine.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

rifles design hands

I tried a dozen different modifications that were rejected. But they all served as a path to the final design.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

design different path

My spiritual pain is unbearable. I keep having the same unsolved question: if my rifle claimed people's lives, then can it be that I a Christian and an Orthodox believer, was to blame for their deaths?

Mikhail Kalashnikov

pain spiritual christian

Terrorists also want to use simple and reliable arms.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

simple use want

I have continued to work at different things, and rebuilt my home all by myself. I did it for the sake of satisfaction at doing something. I did it because I happened to be where I was.

Mikhail Kalashnikov

different sake home