A serial production of the ZIL-131 all-wheel drive truck began in the late 1960s, and in 1986 it was introduced its modernized version – the ZIL-131N. The truck was distinguished by its high reliability and excellent off-road capability. The basic model ZIL-131 was designed primarily for the transportation of personnel or cargo weighing up to 5 tons. At one time, it was the most common army all-wheel drive truck, and it was also supplied to various countries around the world. Between 1967 and 1990, almost 1,000,000 of these vehicles were manufactured, with a significant amount of production going to chassis for installing various special military equipment. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the vehicles continued to serve in the armies of the CIS countries and around the world. The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to operate these reliable all-wheel drive trucks to this day.