Tribute to famous Russian rifle creator unveiled in Moscow mistakenly depicted German second world war gun instead

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Workers have removed part of a new monument to Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the Soviet Union’s AK-47 assault rifle, after eagle-eyed Russians noticed that it mistakenly depicted a German second world war weapon.

30ft-high statue of Mikhail Kalashnikov unveiled in Moscow Read more

The monument to the creator of one of Russia’s best known export brands was unveiled in central Moscow three days ago to much fanfare.

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.

But embarrassed sculptor Salavat Shcherbakov had to admit that among them was the Sturmgewehr 44 (StG 44) assault rifle used by Nazi troops.

“We will rectify this,” Shcherbakov said in comments broadcast by state-run Rossiya 24 channel. “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 weapon, created in 1947, does have a striking resemblance to German arms designer Hugo Schmeisser’s StG 44 rifle, created in 1942, although they have major design differences.

Kalashnikov was known to have said he had heard speculation that he had copied the German rifle. Vladislav Kononov, executive director of the Russian military and historical society, was quoted by Russian media as saying that the fact that angry Russians had spotted the error disproved that. Many had earlier vented their disapproval on social media.

Mikhail Kalashnikov: Mikhail Kalashnikov Read more

“Every cloud has its silver lining. Thanks to this mistake ... a myth has been destroyed that Kalashnikov borrowed some elements of his invention from his foreign colleagues,” he said.

The AK-47, the small-arms mainstay of Russia’s armed forces for more than 60 years, is described as the most effective weapon ever made by some experts.

Every fifth firearm in the world is a Kalashnikov, with more than 70m of the assault rifles produced over the past 60 years, gunmaker Kalashnikov Concern said on its website. Kalashnikovs are in service in 50 foreign armies, it added.

