efense manufacturer Kalashnikov, a subsidiary of industrial giant Rostec, told reporters at Russia’s ARMY 2021 defense exhibition that the AK-12 assault rifle will become the new basic weapon for Russian troops. “The AK-12 has served as a replacement for the AK-74 since 2018 and will become the basic gun of the Russian Armed Forces in the next few years,” Kalashnikov’s press office announced. The company noted that the AK-12’s current and final design is based on feedback from field tests conducted in the lead-up to ARMY 2020. “The AK-12’s final design, shaped following its operational evaluation by troops, was featured...