Kalachnikov will be at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference, where his namesake rifles, made by the Ijmach factory, will be showcased, said Nikolai Dimidiuk, a spokesman for Rosoboronextport, the leading Russian arms exporter.

The February 12-17 event, the Middle East's biggest international arms show, was an opportunity to spotlight the Russian factory, Kalashnikov said.

"The exposition in the Emirates is a step forward in promoting the production of the Ijmach factory on the international markets," the AK-47's developer said.

"Our factory gives total performance guarantees for this Russian firearm and proposes advantageous conditions for long-term cooperation," he said.

Easy to handle, relatively cheap to make, sturdy and reliable, the Kalashnikov has been a favorite weapon of rebel and other forces supplied by the former Soviet Union.

More than 100 million of the rifles have been sold worldwide.

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