Kalashnikov, Inventor Of AK-47, Hospitalized

The image of AK-47 inventor Mikhail Kalashnikov is seen on a screen near a display of his weapons during an exhibition at the Artillery Museum in St. Petersburg.

Mikhail Kalashnikov, the 93-year-old inventor of the world's most-used assault rifle -- AK-47, has been hospitalized.

Doctors at a regional clinic in Izhevsk, the capital of Russia's republic of Udmurtia, declined on May 27 to offer additional details, saying only that the patient’s condition is "normal."

Kalashnikov has been living in Udmurtia for many years.

Kalashnikov has won numerous Soviet and Russian awards for the AK-47, which has been one of the most popular weapons in the world since it was first introduced in 1947.

The durability and low-maintenance requirements of AK-47s have made them favorites among guerrilla fighters around the world.

Kalashnikov spent several days in hospital in December for what was officially explained as a routine medical check-up.

Based on reporting by RIA-Novosti and Interfax