Armored Vehicles

BTR-MDM Rakushka

Also known as
  • BTR-MDM
  • Rakushka
  • Rakushka-M
  • BTR-MD Rakushka
  • BTR-MD
  • Object 955
  • Ob'yekt 955
  • Shell-M

The BTR-MDM Rakushka is the Russian Rakushka-M airborne amphibious tracked armored personnel carrier, with this entry also covering the earlier BTR-MD Rakushka designation because public sources treat it as the direct predecessor in the same family. It carries a small crew plus an airborne assault party, ammunition, fuel, spares, or casualties, and has been visually documented among Russian equipment destroyed, damaged, abandoned, and captured during the full-scale phase of the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.

BTR-MDM Rakushka, Airborne amphibious tracked armored personnel carrier, Armored Vehicles
Image source: Commons Russia Arms Expo image

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Russia
Type
Airborne amphibious tracked armored personnel carrier
Service note
Post-Cold War; entered Russian airborne-service production in the 2010s
Designer
BTR-MD lineage from Volgograd Tractor Plant / VgTZ; BTR-MDM modernization associated with Kurganmashzavod / Concern Tractor Plants
Designed
BTR-MDM unveiled in 2013 after BTR-MD development work in the late 2000s
Produced
2015-present for BTR-MDM production deliveries
Developed from
BTR-MD Rakushka and BMD-4M airborne vehicle chassis/common components

Specifications

Crew and passengers
Two crew plus up to 13 assault troops according to Rostec and Army Recognition
Armament
Remote weapon station with 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun, plus a forward 7.62 mm machine gun in Army Recognition's description
Combat weight
About 13,200 kg
Dimensions
Length 6.1 m; width 3.1 m; height 2.5 m
Engine
UTD-29 multi-fuel diesel rated at about 500 hp
Mobility
70 km/h maximum road speed and 500 km road range; Rostec lists 45-50 km/h mean speed on dry earth roads
Amphibious drive
Two rear water jets after raising a trim vane; Army Recognition lists full amphibious capability
Protection
All-welded aluminum armor against small-arms fire and shell splinters, with smoke grenade dischargers on the front hull
Suspension
Adjustable hydro-pneumatic suspension with ground clearance between 130 mm and 530 mm
Variants

Public sources distinguish the earlier BTR-MD Rakushka from the BTR-MDM/Rakushka-M modernization mainly by chassis, powerpack, suspension, and BMD-4M-family commonality.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
BTR-MD RakushkaEarlier BTR-D successor

The earlier BTR-MD was a turretless airborne transport vehicle in the BMD-3/BMD airborne line, and Object 955 attribution is strongest for this predecessor designation; the BTR-MDM is described as the improved follow-on using BMD-4M-family components.

Sources: Army Recognition BTR-MDM, GlobalSecurity BTR-MD Rakushka

Rakushka-M wartime delivery fit2024 protected delivery configuration

Rostec describes 2024 Rakushka-M deliveries with local drone-control suppression equipment, top-attack protection kits, Nakidka thermal/radio signature reduction kits, and driver night-vision devices.

Sources: Rostec Rakushka-M delivery

Related Airborne Chassis And Derivatives

The Rakushka sits in the same modern Russian airborne armored-vehicle family as the BMD-4M, trading the IFV turret for transport, cargo, casualty-evacuation, and support capacity; its chassis also underpins specialized airborne command vehicles.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
BMD-4/BMD-4M, Airborne amphibious infantry fighting vehicle, Armored VehiclesBMD-4/BMD-4MAirborne infantry fighting vehicle family

Army Recognition says the BTR-MDM uses the same powerpack and suspension as the BMD-4M, while GlobalSecurity describes it as a tracked APC based on the BMD-4M chassis.

Sources: Army Recognition BTR-MDM, GlobalSecurity BTR-MD Rakushka

BTR-D, Airborne amphibious tracked armored personnel carrier, Armored VehiclesBTR-DEarlier airborne APC family

GlobalSecurity frames Rakushka as the replacement workhorse for older BTR-D airborne APCs, with greater internal capacity for troops, cargo, ammunition, fuel, or casualties.

Sources: GlobalSecurity BTR-MD Rakushka

9S932-2 Barnaul-T, Air-defense reconnaissance and command vehicle, Air Defense9S932-2 Barnaul-TAir-defense reconnaissance and command derivative

GlobalSecurity describes the MRU-D automated air-defense control system as a BTR-MDM-chassis vehicle for airborne forces, matching the cataloged 9S932-2 Barnaul-T profile.

Sources: GlobalSecurity BTR-MD Rakushka

Airborne Transport Role

The BTR-MDM is not an infantry fighting vehicle in the BMD-4M sense. It keeps the light amphibious, air-droppable tracked chassis concept but removes the heavy turret so VDV units can move personnel, ammunition, spare parts, fuel, lubricants, or casualties under armor.

Transport load

Rostec describes a two-person crew and space for an assault party of up to 13 people.

Protection tradeoff

Army Recognition describes all-welded aluminum armor intended against small-arms fire and shell splinters, reflecting the weight limits of an airborne amphibious carrier.

Wartime adaptation

Rostec's 2024 delivery note adds drone-control suppression, top-attack protection, Nakidka signature reduction, and night-vision equipment to the Rakushka-M fit.

Sources: Rostec Rakushka-M delivery; Army Recognition BTR-MDM.

Timeline

BTR-MDM Rakushka Key Events

  1. BTR-MDM displayed at Russia Arms Expo

    Army Recognition and Commons media identify the BTR-MDM Rakushka-M at the 2013 Russia Arms Expo in Nizhny Tagil.

    Sources: Army Recognition BTR-MDM, Commons Russia Arms Expo image

  2. First production batch delivered

    Army Recognition reports that Russian airborne troops in the Western Military District received an initial production batch of 12 BTR-MDM vehicles in March 2015.

    Sources: Army Recognition BTR-MDM

  3. Full-scale Ukraine-war loss record begins

    Oryx's visual loss list for the Russian invasion of Ukraine later recorded dozens of BTR-MDM Rakushka vehicles destroyed, damaged, abandoned, or captured.

    Sources: Oryx Russian equipment losses

  4. Staromaiorske destruction reported

    Army Recognition reported Ukrainian Marines destroying a Russian BTR-MDM with artillery fire near Staromaiorske, Donetsk Oblast.

    Sources: Army Recognition Staromaiorske BTR-MDM

  5. Luhansk mine incident reported

    Defense Express reported a Russian BTR-MDM moving toward Ukrainian positions in Luhansk Oblast before detonating on a landmine.

    Sources: Defense Express Luhansk BTR-MDM Mine Incident

  6. Rostec announces protected Rakushka-M batch

    Rostec said High-Precision Systems delivered a new Rakushka-M BTR-MDM batch with drone-suppression, top-attack protection, Nakidka signature-reduction kits, and driver night-vision devices.

    Sources: Rostec Rakushka-M delivery

Media

BTR-MDM Rakushka Images

BTR-MDM Rakushka, Airborne amphibious tracked armored personnel carrier, Armored Vehicles - view 1
Source: Commons BTR-MDM RAE 2013 image
BTR-MDM Rakushka, Airborne amphibious tracked armored personnel carrier, Armored Vehicles - view 2
Source: Commons Army 2016 BTR-MDM image
BTR-MDM Rakushka, Airborne amphibious tracked armored personnel carrier, Armored Vehicles - view 3
Source: Commons BTR-MDM 2016 image
Related Weapon Systems
BTS-4, Tracked armored recovery vehicle, Support EquipmentSupport EquipmentBTS-4Tracked armored recovery vehicleThe BTS-4 is a Soviet tracked armored recovery vehicle family built around tank-hull recovery work: towing disabled armor, winching stuck vehicles, lifting heavy components, and supporting field repair teams. Ukrainian and Western reporting describes upgraded BTS-4 vehicles with T-54/T-55 hull lineage, a front crane, dozer blade, and heavy winch package, while visual-loss records document BTS-4-family vehicles on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine War and one BTS-4 captured from Syrian regime forces in 2024.
BMD-1, Airborne amphibious infantry fighting vehicle, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesBMD-1Airborne amphibious infantry fighting vehicleThe BMD-1 is a Soviet airborne infantry fighting vehicle built for paratroop units, combining a very light amphibious tracked chassis with the BMP-1-style 73 mm 2A28 Grom gun and anti-tank missile armament. Its hydropneumatic suspension and low combat weight supported airborne deployment, while the same design priorities left the aluminum hull protected mainly against small-arms fire and fragments. Cataloged conflict evidence spans Soviet use in Afghanistan, Russian and Iraqi wartime fielding, Russian airborne use in Georgia and Ukraine, and Ukrainian 25th Airborne Brigade service in Donbas.

Sources

Rostec Rakushka-M deliveryPublisher: Rostec State Corporation | Note: Supports the 2024 Rakushka-M delivery, High-Precision Systems context, drone/top-attack/Nakidka wartime equipment, crew and passenger capacity, transport role, and road-speed claims. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Army Recognition BTR-MDMPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports BTR-MDM identity, 2013 public display, March 2015 initial production delivery, BMD-4M chassis/powerpack commonality, armament, protection, amphibious equipment, dimensions, weight, mobility, and BTR-MD/BTR-MDM distinction. | Accessed: 2026-07-06GlobalSecurity BTR-MD RakushkaPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports BTR-MD/BTR-MDM lineage, BTR-D replacement context, transport and casualty-evacuation role, BMD-4M chassis basis, and airborne amphibious design context. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Oryx Russian equipment lossesPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use/loss context by visually documenting Russian BTR-MDM Rakushka vehicles destroyed, damaged, abandoned, and captured during the full-scale invasion. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Army Recognition Staromaiorske BTR-MDMPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use by reporting a Russian BTR-MDM destroyed by Ukrainian artillery fire near Staromaiorske, Donetsk Oblast, in July 2023. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Defense Express Luhansk BTR-MDM Mine IncidentPublisher: Defense Express | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use by reporting a Russian BTR-MDM used in an approach toward Ukrainian positions and destroyed by a landmine in Luhansk Oblast. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Commons Russia Arms Expo imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a BTR-MDM Rakushka-M photograph from Russia Arms Expo 2013, credited to Vitaly V. Kuzmin and licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Commons BTR-MDM RAE 2013 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance for a BTR-MDM photograph from RAE-2013 under CC BY-SA 3.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Commons Army 2016 BTR-MDM imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance for a 2016 BTR-MDM armored personnel carrier photograph by Vitaly V. Kuzmin, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 with VRT permission noted. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Commons BTR-MDM 2016 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance for an April 2016 BTR-MDM photograph by Vitaly V. Kuzmin, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-06