MOSCOW, February 15. /TASS/. The Kalashnikov Group (part of the state tech corporation Rostec) will hold the presentation of the latest 5.56mm AK-19 assault rifle abroad for the first time, The Kalashnikov press office announced on Monday.

"The AK-19’s world presentation will take place at the Middle East’s largest IDEX-2021 arms show that will run on February 21-25 in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates," the press office said in a statement.

The AK-19 assault rifle has already evoked the interest of some customers from the Middle East that use 5.56-45mm rounds as the standard ammunition, the Kalashnikov Group stressed.

"in a hot, humid and dusty climate, the AK-19 will provide the efficiency of its round-the-clock use, reliable operation and easy maintenance," the statement says.

"The AK-19 is chambered for the 5.56x45mm cartridge adopted in NATO and widely spread in the world. Therefore, our latest assault rifle is fully geared to the external market. While presenting the AK-19 at the IDEX world’s largest arms show, we are confident that it will evoke big interest from foreign customers whose requests we are already receiving," the press office quoted Kalashnikov Group CEO Dmitry Tarasov as saying.

The AK-19 has been derived from the AK-12 assault rifle adopted for service in the Russian Army in 2018. The new gun is outfitted with Picatinny rails, a telescoping buttstock of original design, a new diopter sight and a quick detachable device for silent and flameless fire.

The AK-19 assault rifle was unveiled at the Army-2020 international arms show.