Russian Firearm Manufacturer Kalashnikov Announces Plans to Make Toy Guns

A statue of Mikhail Kalashnikov, designer of the Kalashnikov rifle, by sculptor Salavat Shcherbakov (Valery SharifulinTASS via Getty Images)

Russian gun manufacturer Kalashnikov is setting its sights on the toy gun business, according to Newsweek.

The company already announced plans for an airsoft gun and an online gaming project, and they recently registered 27 trademarks for toys and games.

Safety advocates, however, have been lobbying across the United States for a reduction in toy guns, particularly after the fatal shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice by Cleveland police.

This move may have been boosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent praise of the company, and by the success of the paraphernalia shop they opened in a Moscow airport last year.

Udmurtia’s head Alexander Solovyov, President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu review the Kalashnikov Concern production (Dmitry Azarov/Kommersant via Getty Images)

Kalashnikov spokesperson Sofia Ivanova said that the company “intend[s] to go into the toy and game industry with reliable products of high-quality, similar to the Kalashnikov (AK-47) assault rifle,” adding that they will also be chasing down unlicensed products that use or mention the brand.

—RealClearLife