Russian Airborne Forces Test Multi-Purpose Rakushka Armored Vehicles

The Russian Airborne Forces (VDV) have started testing eight advanced multi-purpose Rakushka armored personnel carriers in field conditions, military spokesman Yevgeny Meshkov told Ria Novosti Tuesday.

The Russian Airborne Forces received two Rakushka armored vehicles last year and are expected to get another eight by mid-2014. After the tests, the vehicles are to be put into service, the report said. 

“A controlled tactical exploitation of eight Rakushka airborne multi-purpose [BTR-MD] armored vehicles has started at the testing areas of an Airborne Forces unit,” Lieutenant Colonel Meshkov said.

The BTR-MD Rakushka is a Russian multi-purpose armored vehicle designed for airborne troops, produced by the Volgograd Tractor Factory. The vehicle has a weight of 13.2 tons and is equipped with two machine guns. The carrier requires two operators, while a total of 13 people are to be involved in the airborne landing test, it concluded.