The Russian Vodnik (version GAZ-39371) high-mobility multipurpose military vehicles was spotted in the Syrian port city of Latakia.
The GAZ Vodnik vehicles had been taken from its Russia’s military arsenal. A family of GAZ-3937 Vodnik light high mobility multi-purpose army vehicles is manufactured by the Russian automotive manufacturer GAZ.
The Vodnik was first seen in 1995. A small number of pre-production vehicles were produced for trials and testing. These vehicles were tested in during the war in Chechnya and in Ukraine.
This vehicle is amphibious, and uses its wheels to propel itself when afloat. It has a water-displacing hermetic hull which provides improved fording performance and a 4×4-type chassis with independent suspension and a centralized system of tire-pressure control. The ground clearance is 475 mm.
The standard undercarriage with a cab can be fitted with a number of different modules with various number of passenger seats and cargo compartments, seating up to 10 people. It is powered by a 175 hp (130 kW) diesel engine giving a top speed of 112 km/h (4 to 5 km/h when swimming).