International
The AK-47, the first Kalashnikov rifle, turns 75 in the Ukrainian trenches
The AK-47, the most fired rifle in history, turns 75 years old without losing its validity, as demonstrated in the current war in Ukraine, where both sides continue to use it, although it hardly officially appears in their arsenals.
“Mijail Kalashnikov was a true patriot. He invented the rifle just to defend himself from the enemy,” he told EFE Nelli, the eldest daughter of the legendary gunsmith (1919-2013) a few years ago.
The first rifle designed by Kalashnikov entered service in the Soviet Army on June 18, 1949, in the middle of the Cold War.
The gunsmith of the former Soviet Union, then a modest sergeant, was impressed by an episode during the Great Patriotic War (1941-45) in which a soldier died at the hands of the Germans because his weapon was boxed.
Although its initial objective was to create an automatic rifle that would allow the Red Army to win the war, the AK-47 never fired at the German invader.
The first AK made its fame for its simplicity and its resistance to elements, water and sand. With only eight moving parts, it can be used by any fighter, child or adult, and can be disassembled in less than a minute.
The characteristics of the AK-47 have gone in history: 4.3 kilos of weight, 30 ammunition bullets, 800 meters of range and a firing rate of 600 shots per minute.
Since 1949, more than 100 million units of this rifle have been manufactured, according to Russian sources, which represents 15% of the total volume of light weapons in service in the world.
Although only twelve countries have a production license – China and North Korea, among them – there are many countries that manufacture it, have clandestinely transferred the technology or, openly, use their parts to design modified rifles, including Western countries.
Its popularity in certain corners of the planet was so great during the wars of liberation that the Kalashnikov, ideal for guerrilla warfare, was included in the flags and shields of several countries (Zimbabwa, Mozambique, Burkina Faso or East Timor).
The AK-47 was adopted by armies of 55 countries, but it has rained a lot since 1949. The Kalashnikov state corporation itself, which now also manufactures assault drones, has since designed the AKM, the AK-74, the AK-15 and the AK-12, among others.
In fact, the consortium, which is under Western sanctions, signed with the Army in 2021, on the eve of the start of the Russian military campaign in Ukraine, a three-year contract for the supply of light weapons.
Last April, Kalashnikov announced the delivery to the Ministry of Defense of a batch of renewed AK-12 assault rifles, which includes a dioptric telescopic peephole and a two-way security device.
Kalashnikov emphasizes that the fighting within the framework of the so-called special military operation showed that the AK-12 should be perfected to make it “lighter”, improve its ergonomics and facilitate its use.
According to official sources, the consortium provided the Russian Armed Forces with twice as many AK-12 rifles in the first year of the war in Ukraine in 2023.
The United States authorities also announced in April the supply to the Ukrainian army of about 5,000 AK-47 rifles from their own arsenals.
Although his last name is known all over the world, that fame caused remorse to Kalashnikov, who before dying wrote a letter to the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, since he understood that he had created “a weapon that killed people all over the world.”
“The pain I have in my soul is unbearable. An unanswered question resounds again and again: since my rifle killed so many people, is it me, Mikhail Kalashnikov, 93 years old, son of peasants, Christian and of Orthodox faith, guilty of his death, even if it is enemies?” the letter said.
In the last years of his life, Kalashnikov, who has a statue where he poses with his invention in the center of Moscow, admitted to his descendants that he was “not prepared” for the universalization of his invention as a weapon “against humanity” in the hands of terrorists
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
International
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating two explosions that occurred early Wednesday, one on a road in the southern part of the country and another under a bridge in Guayas province. These incidents follow the car bomb explosion in the coastal city of Guayaquil, also in Guayas, which occurred the day before and left one person dead and 30 injured.
Press reports indicate that one person was injured and several vehicles were damaged in the explosion on the Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje road in the south.
“Besides yesterday’s explosion in Guayaquil, we have received reports of explosives placed on bridges along the Guayaquil-Machala and Machala-Cuenca routes to disrupt traffic,” said Roberto Luque, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT).
On his X social media account, Luque reported that authorities have been deployed to the sites to assess the damage and determine the current condition of the structures.
“What they haven’t achieved with their call for a strike, some are trying to achieve through terrorism,” he stated, referring to the 24 days of protests organized by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) against rising diesel prices and other demands.
The protests, called at a national level, have Imbabura province as their epicenter. Roadblocks have also been reported in the northern part of Pichincha province, whose capital is Quito, while activities in the rest of the country continue normally.
International
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.
The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.
In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.
He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”
The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.
The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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