OREANDA-NEWS. November 10, 2009. Dmitry Medvedev congratulated Russia's outstanding gun designer Mikhail Kalashnikov on his 90th birthday and awarded him the Gold Star Medal of the Hero of Russia.

At a reception held in the Kremlin in honour of the legendary inventor, the President of Russia referred to Mikhail Kalashnikov's life as an example of service to the Fatherland, stating also that today – as Russia's economy is being modernised – the country needs such great inventions in all fields.

About 150 different kinds of small arms have been designed under the leadership of Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the world-famous AK-47 assault rifle.