Antonov An-2MS nine-engine biplane - video and photo

Antonov An-2MS (TVS-2MS) nine-engine biplane.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...t_fullsize.jpg
https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...v_aircraft.jpg

8:18 video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI32NIvjvic


Previously:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...967#post160395
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...308#post150369
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...478#post166442
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...645#post193508
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...665#post155656

Any idea what powered the small props? It looks like it could be electric motors, but this plane was from the mid-60s. Being a Soviet creation, it may well have had a shaft running off the turboprop engine going to a sprocket(s) and chain(s) setup to drive the smaller propellers. Maybe, a generator running off the turbine or an APU?

Looks like it was some sort of demonstrator or test bed, this says that the small props are driven by electric motors:

https://sustainableskies.org/nine-en...s-dep-antonov/