Kalashnikov is famous for its rifles, but is no stranger to tank drones or AI-powered robot guns. Its latest product, unveiled in Moscow at a military arms expo, is not quite as technologically sophisticated as those other endeavors, but it certainly still is menacing. This is the 'Shchit,' or the 'Shield.'

An anti-riot vehicle, the Shield is a truck with its eponymous garage door-sized shield mounted to its front and supported by a metal arm that originates behind the cabin. It also comes with a water cannon and holes in its barricade so that officers can launch projectiles like smoke or teargas through. The shield also appears to have a small platform, as the image above shows, where riot cops could stand, see out, and potentially fire projectiles as the vehicle advances.

Kalashnikov Company AP

Kalashnikov is not the first to have this general idea. Earlier this year the Slovakian company Bozena introduced a similar vehicle called the Bozena Riot, which boasts room for some three dozen officers in riot gear behind its mobile wall.

The announcement comes months after widespread anti-corruption protests across Russia and the founding of a new National Guard in advance of the Russian presidential election in 2018. This Kalashnikov may not technically be a weapon, but it is as much an ominous show of force as any rifle an officer might carry.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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