RUSSIA- Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the Kalashnikov assault riffle popularly known as AK 47, has died at the age of 94.

The automatic rifle he designed became one of the world's most familiar and widely used weapons.

Its comparative simplicity made it cheap to manufacture, as well as reliable and easy to maintain.

According to report by the Russian authority, Kalashnikov died after battling with internal bleeding since November.

Mikhail Kalashnikov's 1947 design became the standard equipment of the Soviet and Warsaw pact armies. Versions were manufactured in several other countries, including China.

With its distinctive curved magazine, the Kalashnikov became a revolutionary icon in the hands of militants and insurgents around the globe.