This Ukrainian vehicle, which Kanye West loves, is a lifesaver around flooded Kherson

“Obstacles do not block the way, they are the way.” With this clear slogan, Kiev-based manufacturer Quadro International introduces the completely self-developed Sherp. The vehicle is aimed at ‘specialists who have to overcome natural difficulties as part of their profession’ such as rescue workers, geologists, oil workers, fishermen, hunters and adventurers who love extreme terrain.

And the extreme terrain features the four-wheel drive Sherp, which fits five people in addition to the driver: the angular, compact vehicle can handle inclines of up to 35 degrees and can easily drive over objects up to a meter high. Could If a river crosses the path, it simply flows over it. “Sherp always floats no matter how deep the water, be it on lakes, rivers, estuaries, shorelines or frozen water.”

Even the heat or the bitter cold is not a hindrance. Between -40 and 45 °C, the Sherup doesn’t move, so it continues to drive in hot desert or arctic terrain. “Works in smoke, fog, rain, blizzard, storm and heat.” And because the Sherp has an additional fuel tank at each wheel, with room for 58 liters of diesel, it can last up to 2.5 days.

Thanks to its great versatility, the off-road vehicle has become a popular export product. Sheerap is popular in the US and Canada, among others. And the apocalyptic-looking vehicle scores scores not only with rescue workers or fans of extreme terrain, but also with rappers and hip-hoppers.

For example, Kanye West owns an entire army of Sherpas. In 2020, he drove five cars to Chicago to promote a new model of his Yeezy sports shoe. vehicle surfaced in his video clip follow god, Controversial artist collaborator Chris Brown also gave Sherp as a gift, as he had been in the business for over twenty years. “You have overcome countless obstacles and barriers,” he explained.

But since the war in Ukraine, the Sherp—equipped with a 1.8-liter, three-cylinder diesel engine—has also been doing useful work at home evacuating residents. For example, now that the Kakhovka dam has been blown up and a large area around Kherson has been flooded. NOS correspondent Sander van Hoorn tweeted a picture of a Sherpa in action on Thursday: ‘With this special amphibious vehicle, Masha is rescued seven months pregnant along with her grandmother and cat’.

This is one of the lions that the manufacturer Quadro International gave to the Ukrainian search and rescue team last year. On Sherp’s own Facebook page the creator talks about the current rescue operation. Water continues to flood Kherson, Novaya Kakhovka and other towns and villages, killing people and destroying the Ukrainian ecology. Eighty settlements are under threat of flood. Sherp is helping to evacuate people and animals in flooded parts of the Kherson region.”

And the amphibious vehicle works well in more places. For example, Sherpas are used by the United Nations Food Program during famines. “Sherp fights famine in various countries around the world.”

Sherpa isn’t cheap. The simplest basic version, the Sherp Pro, starts at 107,000 euros. However, if the more comprehensive version is chosen the price rises sharply.

Remarkably enough, Sherpa was once invented by a Russian, St. Petersburg engineer Alexei Garagashyan. He took inspiration for the design from the famous monster trucks. Ukrainian entrepreneur Vladimir Shkolnik saw potential in Garagashyan’s idea and bought the rights. He then started a design office in Kiev in 2012. the rest is history.