Weapons designer Kalashnikov repented AK-47 killings in a letter before his death
Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of a legendary AK-47 assault rifle, talks to the media during a ceremony celebrating the 60th anniversary of his rifle in Moscow, on July 6, 2007.
He always said he wasn't responsible for the actions of others, but Mikhail Kalashnikov — the designer of the AK-47 assault rifle — reportedly lived his final months filled with remorse over the people killed by the weapon.
Kalashnikov, who died in December at age 94, wrote a lengthy letter in April to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, asking if he was to blame for the deaths, Russian daily Izvestia reported.
More from GlobalPost: Assault rifle inventor Mikhail Kalashnikov dead at 94
"The pain in my soul is unbearable. I keep asking myself the same unsolvable question: If my assault rifle took people's lives that means that I, Mikhail Kalashnikov, … am responsible for people's deaths," he wrote in the letter.
"The longer I live, the more often that question gets into my brain, the deeper I go in my thoughts and guesses about why the Almighty allowed humans to have devilish desires of envy, greed and aggression," Kalashnikov continued.
The note is penned on Kalashnikov's personal writing paper and signed "a slave of God, the designer Mikhail Kalashnikov."
More from GlobalPost: Russia buries Kalashnikov in new 'pantheon' for heroes
The sentiment in the letter contrasts sharply with past statements by the weapons designer, who repeatedly said he "slept well" despite his gun's widespread use and couldn't be held responsible for the actions of other people.
Kalashnikov designed the AK-47 during World War II. It is now the world's most popular firearm, with an estimated 100 million in use today.
The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?