The vehicle, which is based on the Ural off-road army truck, was designed for use by internal military forces to suppress mass unrest.

According to the journal, the Tornado has the capability to break through barriers, lift and move cargo, remove rubble and carry out other operations to help internal forces suppress riots in a city environment. The specially engineered vehicle consists of an armored body mounted with a water jet capable of striking up to 50 meters.

In addition, the vehicle is equipped with a special grenade launcher, a fire-extinguishing system with fire hose hookup, ladders that can extend up to three floors, a searchlight, a loudspeaker system, and video cameras.

To prevent any possible onslaught from protesters, the Tornado can be sealed to prevent tear gas from leaking inside and is equipped with fire extinguishers.

Authors of the journal say the Tornado is essentially a consolidation of different forms of military technology, allowing troops to rely on one machine instead of four. This will aid engineering units of the internal forces during operations in city conditions “while special operations to suppress mass unrest are being carried out.”

During training exercises in 2009, Russian security forces were spotted using trucks armed with water cannons to break into buildings and knock down barriers. The same exercises also involved groups of pensioners blocking a federal highway in a cry for improved social support. At the time, activists from Eduard Limonov’s banned National Bolshevik Party held protests against the use of water cannons on demonstrators.

Duma deputies and the presidential administration agreed upon a final version of amendments to the federal law “On gatherings, rallies, demonstrations, marches and pickets” on Wednesday. As was expected, a provision that banned individuals or groups from organizing public events for one year if they had been convicted of administrative offenses – a category that includes petty traffic violations – was stripped from the final text.

A letter earlier in the month from the president to state deputies explained that it was precisely this provision that prompted him to veto the amended legislation, despite the fact that both houses of parliament had passed the measure earlier this year without any indication that it would be vetoed.

The amendments were originally introduced in April by deputies from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party, as well as from the Kremlin-loyal A Just Russia and Liberal Democratic Party of Russia. Oppositionists and civil rights spoke out vocally against the proposal.

Aside from the text about administrative offenses, the original legislation also sought to regulate demonstrations by transportation-based organizations such as the Blue Bucket Society, whose members stage protest parades with their cars. The legislation would have required these groups not only to apply with local authorities for official sanction, but also document all vehicles that would be used in the event ahead of time – a measure critics said would virtually cripple these demonstrations.

In his letter, President Medvedev said that he agreed with deputies that transportation-based protests needed to be regulated.

Right after the veto, a source in the State Duma told Gazeta.ru that the basis of revisions to the document would be the removal of the the regulation on administrative offenses. “We’ll remove the regulation, and the document will be passed,” said the source.

The Federation Council and the president still have to accept the legislation before it is passed into law.