The ministry released the footage of the TTM-4902 amphibious tracked all-terrain vehicle, named Ruslan, which is designed to transport Russian soldiers across inhospitable conditions, such as the Arctic or the deep Taiga.
Ruslan is the result of a joint project between JSC Transport and the University of Nizhniy Novgorod.
The all-terrain vehicle can carry as many as 22 people inside or 2.5 tons of cargo. Ruslan has four different sets of tracks, powered independently to provide the best performance over the hardest climatic conditions.
Despite its size and clumsy look, Ruslan can drive 46 km per hour (29 miles per hour) and move with the speed of a decent swimmer in the water — 8 km per hour.
Ruslan has two modifications — the civilian and military versions. The only difference between the two is that the military model has added armored protection and a larger, more powerful engine, Popular Mechanics reported.
The development of the new all-terrain vehicle comes at a time when world powers, including Russia and the United States, are beginning to scramble for the Arctic and its immense natural resources.
According to a recent report by the Russian Emergencies Ministry, the estimated value of natural resources in Russia's Arctic region exceeds $30 trillion. The government predicts that Russian oil and gas production would be mainly concentrated in the Arctic sea shelves in the future.
