The AK: Nonfiction Stories project was created to honor the 103rd anniversary of the great designer Mikhail Kalashnikov's birthday. In this series, we've gathered true accounts of soldiers who gained a trusty friend in an AK, not only for its shooting performance but also for its ability to deflect bullets or help one hold onto a precipice. 

"The gratitude of those whose lives were saved by Mikhail Timofeyevich's rifles is undoubtedly the best way to commemorate him, I think. There are lots and lots of them, too. Meeting combat veterans should give you an idea of what hope, the desire to succeed, and a thirst for life mean to those who have faced death. Such meetings and memories are a vital component of the Russian arms' true glory. And the people involved in our project are precisely those Heroes who add to this glory," President of Kalashnikov Concern Alan Lushnikov emphasized in a special address.

Ilyas Daudi, an Afghan War veteran and Hero of the Russian Federation, talks about his experience with an AK in the project's first episode. He served in the 149th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment's reconnaissance company, stationed close to Kunduz, in the years 1985 to 1986. 

Watch the video to learn more about the best practices in handling an AK, including such extreme techniques as cleaning it with gray ash and giving it diesel fuel baths. Ilyas will also speak about what caliber he himself preferred and why.

If you enjoyed watching this video, we suggest bookmarking a special playlist here and on Rutube where new episodes of the series will be posted. You can also keep up with Kalashnikov Concern's news by subscribing to its official Telegram channel and VK page to make sure that you don't miss any.