Kalashnikov Cast in Bronze in Moscow
And now, let's talk about how Gunsmith Day is celebrated in the Capital. The main event was the unveiling of a monument to legendary gunsmith Mikhail Kalashnikov.
The 8-meter tall monument is located on the Garden Ring, near Oruzheyny Lane. Georgy Podgorny observed the grand ceremony. He is now live. Georgy, hello, give us some details.
Dear colleagues, let's begin by determining who Mikhail Kalashnikov was. He is a worldwide famous legend. His creation, AK has been accepted for service since late 1940s. That's when he received the Stalin Award. He is the only person, who's honored as the Hero of Russia and twice as the Hero of Socialist Labor. They say he was very humble, even too humble. The only luxury he bought with his award money was a GAZ-M20 Pobeda car. He used it to go hunting and fishing.
Today is the unveiling of his monument, and Russia's Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky said during the ceremony that Kalashnikov's legacy lives on, it's a global trademark.
Also, Moscow Deputy Mayor mentioned that thanks to this monument, a new attraction for citizens has been created. In spite of Kalashnikov's high rank as Major General, the monument shows him in his civil clothing. He's holding his masterpiece, AK-47, as a violin.
The sculptor, Salavat Shcherbakov, who's famous for his work on the monument to Vladimir the Great, tried to express the constant battle between good and evil in this masterpiece.