Posted on 06/26/2013 8:03:13 AM PDT by archy
Legendary gunmaker Kalashnikov flown to Moscow for treatment
Mikhail Kalashnikov, world famous inventor, with an AK-47 assault rifle. (RIA Novosti / Vladimir Vyatkin)
Russia 93-year-old Mikhail Kalashnikov has been flown to Moscow for hospital treatment on an Emergencies Ministry plane after being taken ill in his home city of Izhevsk. The iconic gunsmith is said to be in a serious condition.
The inventor of the AK-47 assault rifle endured the flight well and has been sent to undergo medical treatment in a Central military hospital in the Russian capital, reports Itar-Tass.
Kalashnikov had been admitted to a cardiology hospital in the city of Izhevsk, in the Urals, after suffering a pulmonary thrombosis, when doctors decided to send Kalashnikov to a Moscows clinic for medical supervision, said Emergencies Ministrys spokesperson Irina Rossius.
A flying hospital complete with a team of doctors and hi-tech equipment was sent to bring Kalashnikov who also suffers from a heart condition to the capital.
At the end of May Mikhail Kalashnikov spent almost a fortnight undergoing tests in an Izhevsk hospital.
While in hospital the arms designer agreed to transfer the rights to use the Kalashnikov brand name to the Izhmash weapons factory, Russia's largest producer of military automatic and sniper weapons.
The engineers health is said to have worsened in December 2012. After a routine check up on December 20 Kalashnikov had to stay in intensive care for some time.
The weapons designer has until recently regularly attended work at the military plant in Izhevsk named after him.
Mr Hahn!
Ooh Rah!!!
The one he is holding sure is nicely finished.
Maybe he’s a rock?
They live pretty long...
Finger on trigger?
Yes, he’s the enemy, but still, what a guy! The AK is arguably the best rifle ever made. He’s a genius up there with Samuel Colt, John Browning and Barns Wallace.
Godspeed (can I say that to an old commie?) Mr. Klashnikov.
He’s old.
He’s also a fricken genius. I took apart my AK-74 last night. (I also have plenty of ARs.)
The AK is just brilliantly simple.
Why do you say that?
Cold War's over.
Are they our enemy just because they pursue their own national interests?
All I know is that I would never, ever want to be taken to the hospital in a place called Izhevsk.
Russian vodka=the worst hangover of your life.Drank a bunch ofStoli with frinds,the next morning my head was like a football.
Tell me, me oh, me oh, my, wasn’t that a party?
“...The AK is arguably the best rifle ever made...”
More of a carbine, actually, but yes indeed... It ALWAYS goes bang, simple, effective, and easy to use.
SKS too (although he didn’t design those). Love ‘em.
russian medical treatment: get better, faker!
gets better - see he was faking.
dies - okay, he wasn’t faking, he was just weakling.
Correct. “the enemy” should have been in quotes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.