My aim was to create armaments to protect the borders of my motherland. It is not my fault that the Kalashnikov became very well-known in the world; that it was used in many troubled places. I think the policies of these countries are to blame, not the designers. Man is born to protect his family, his children, his wife. But I want you to know that apart from armaments, I have written three books in which I try to educate our youth to show respect for their families, for old people, for history.

It is the Germans who are responsible for the fact that I became a fabricator of arms. If not for them, I would have constructed agricultural machines. (...) If someone asks me how I can sleep at night knowing that my arms have killed millions of people, I respond that I have no problem sleeping, my conscience is clean. I constructed arms to defend my country.

I had to gain experience as I did not have a technical education.

I sleep well. It's the politicians who are to blame for failing to come to an agreement and resorting to violence.

I'm proud of my invention, but I'm sad that it is used by terrorists.

I was trying to perform as best as possible. I was a boy at the time, but worked well with the sickle.

I've always wanted to improve and expand on the good name of my weapon by doing good things.