Meet Ruslan, a badass all-terrain vehicle (ATV) that is ideal for use in the bitter Arctic conditions. A video, recently released by the Russian Defense Ministry, shows this sturdy “tracked articulated vehicle” transporting soldiers across the rough, snowy terrain. A civilian version of TTM-4902 amphibious tracked vehicle, originally obtained for the Russian Ground Forces, the Ruslan runs on KamaZ 300-horsepower turbo-diesel engine, and has room to carry up to 22 people or as much as 2.5 tons of cargo.

Initially developed for the maintenance of arctic pipelines of the Russian oil industry, by JSC Transport and the University of Nizhny Novgorod, the TTM-4902 features four sets of tracks, each of which is capable of functioning independently. Equipped with wide treads that ensure good traction on snow-covered terrain, the vehicle makes around 29 miles per hour on the road and approximately 5 mph in water.

The ATV contains two sections, the first containing the engine, room for 6 people to six and even two foldaway beds for sleeping. The section part houses six beds and space for another 16 passengers. Although robust enough to weather extreme environmental conditions, the military version of the vehicle doesn’t come with a larger engine or even any kind of armored protection. The Ruslan represents Russia’s interest in the Arctic region, which thanks to global warming now provides greater opportunities for charting new shipping routes and also for resource exploitation.

Via: Popular Mechanics