More Bad News for Russia

[Brasscasing]

Brass the piers/pylons could easily be sunk and anchored by cranes mounted on barges also.

True. But projects of this size take specialized equipment and this stuff isn't buy off the shelf and as far as I can gather sanctions aren't allowing the companies that specialize in this kind of construction to take the contract.

Billy would know more about that than I would but my understanding is you could count on two hands the companies world wide that have the equipment/expertise to actually attempt a project of this nature competently.

Moby thinks it's a 'feel good' project for the Russians. I think it'll never happen and if it does, without the right contractors, it'll probably fall into the ocean.

Brass

[ML]

Come on guys:

Two bridges side by side.

One bridge with two different types of traffic.

Is the difference as important as discussing best size jeans for women? 

I like size 6 paired with 34 B.

[Brasscasing]

Brass, if you're talking about the pictures of uncoated pipe stacked up, that's probably material for the pylons. I am surprised that it isn't epoxy coated before they drive it down.  It's the only way allowed here.  That extends the useful life of the structure many fold.

Yes, it could have been material for the water dam surrounding the pylon construction as well but it certainly looks like pipeline to me ( been there, done that).

My guess would be Judo guy probably has no idea what epoxy is.

Brass

[msmobyone]

No doubt. I just don't think they have the expertise to build it (or if they do it'll be a death trap).

Russians can and do make good product...the problem has  often been in corruption  / laziness re material specs used or maintenance.

I've seen beaten up old Ladas start in Siberian winters when fancy Beemers doors won't even open 

I don't know about "unknowing" victim. I'm pretty good at identifying western based propaganda when I see it. 

Well, in this case the photo doesn't represent the progress... we can only surmise whether it is deliberate or not..

There is a difference between preparing a work site/project and actually building. I would take issue with "construction has started". I would say they're making a lot of noise over the fact they're dancing around preparations to begin construction.

3,500 guys building the temp bridges is hardly not constructing ...

How we feel about the bridges is based on our feelings about how this all came about..

[AkMike]

There would be a huge amount of work that could go on for this project while design delay's stop construction of the bridge phase. That's a given, roads at each end, infrastructure to bring it all together ect.

Even with 3,500 worker digging with shovels it'll take a while.

[AkMike]

UAwire reports that another 38 Russian tourists were murdered near Avdiivka, Ukraine. 

[BillyB]

Brass, if you're talking about the pictures of uncoated pipe stacked up, that's probably material for the pylons. I am surprised that it isn't epoxy coated before they drive it down.  It's the only way allowed here.  That extends the useful life of the structure many fold.

I've never seen an epoxy coated steel pile. The epoxy would wear off by the time the pile gets driven into the earth. The steel piles I seen in the photo are supporting the temporary bridge and the ones protruding from the water are probably going to be used in the construction of the new bridge. Steel piles can be used to form a circular dam so water can be pumped out to create dry conditions for workers forming the pier base or the steel pile can be used as a tube that keeps earth from caving in after an auger extracts the earth inside the tube so cement can be poured to form a concrete pile. A steel cage made of epoxy coated rebar is dropped in the hole before the cement is poured. The steel tube is then removed after the cement cures. Another way of creating piles instead of using an auger is pounding precast concrete tubes into the earth.

The temporary bridge is necessary to deliver precast concrete sections to cranes if a specialized truss crane isn't used. It's more efficient to use the truss crane than build a temp bridge. As the truss crane builds the bridge, trucks can drive on the newly created portion to deliver precast parts and follow the crane all the way to the end.

[mendeleyev]

Gentlemen, be careful with using the Russia Insider for true and unbiased information. They are a ploy, designed at first glance to give the appearance that they question the Kremlin, but in the end they always turn a story to bow before their masters, their owners (despite all those pleas for donations to help tell the truth about Russia), as they are owned (lock, stock and barrel) and managed by RBTH, a subsidiary of RT.

[sleepycat]

Obviously you are full of it regarding links and your 'inability' to use them here.   Through a link, msmobyone has provided evidence that you are making things up, which is normally the case. 


Fathertime!

FT,

I was not rubbing AKM's nose in it - just seeking to ensure all members knew the facts ... My reaction was sl. OTT - when he used the 'cluebat - avoiding the fact he had already posted 'bollox' about the state of construction - only to compound it with another howler about the design..

I do not want his mistake to be used for the likes of you to 'join in'... IMHO for a guy who has never been to these parts - you often post  'clueless ' -I just ignore you, mostly ..

Well didn't that backfired on FT big time...
 

[fathertime]

Well didn't that backfired on FT big time...
 

Only a strange bird could possibly think anything is 'big time' when having a discussion here....you qualify! 


Fathertime!

[mendeleyev]

Interesting article on Putin's popularity worldwide vs at home: http://www.ibtimes.com/russia-putin-approval-rating-russian-president-country-viewed-negatively-worldwide-us-2040242

The view of Russia was particularly negative in Europe, where a median of just 26 percent viewed the country favorably. In the U.S., the perception of Russia has shifted sharply. Nearly half of the United States viewed Russia favorably in 2011, but by 2015 that number had dropped to just 22 percent, Pew found.

[Anotherkiwi]

Interesting article on Putin's popularity worldwide vs at home: http://www.ibtimes.com/russia-putin-approval-rating-russian-president-country-viewed-negatively-worldwide-us-2040242

Yes, it's interesting, but it was published last August.  Have you seen any similar surveys more recently, mendy?

[msmobyone]

Excuse the source.. and it is not clear if it refers to the August poll - but I'm guessing it's from December

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/12/23/vladimir-putin-rated-least-popular-leader-in-the-world/

Vladimir Putin rated least popular leader in the world

[mendeleyev]

Yes, it's interesting, but it was published last August.  Have you seen any similar surveys more recently, mendy?

He has slipped in the most recent Levada poll--the most reliable, and independent. In Feb Mr. Putin was up in the mid 80s in several polls, but Levada did a year to year and found that by March 2016 he had dropped from 83% in 2015 to 73% (2016) in terms of whether Russians find him to be trustworthy.

[BC]

UAwire reports that another 38 Russian tourists were murdered near Avdiivka, Ukraine. 

Why applause?

[jone]

Why applause?

+1

[AkMike]

Interfax reports the conviction of 2 Russian special forces soldiers in Kyiv to 14 years in prison. When they were first captured the admitted to being Russian soldiers, later recanted that finally they wanted to be declared POW's and therefore not to be tried.
 Note that this is the same case that their lawyer was murdered and the judge had his office fire bombed. Possibly to delay or frighten everyone involved in the trial away?

 Of course they should have claimed to be lost Russian tourists like others have. 

[treadmilldude]

UAwire reports that another 38 Russian tourists were murdered near Avdiivka, Ukraine. 

I do not understand why you are happy that 38 Russian Tourists were murdered in Ukraine. I am missing something here.

Possibly "Russian Tourists" is code for Russian Soldiers ??    Just a guess?

[ML]

I do not understand why you are happy that 38 Russian Tourists were murdered in Ukraine. I am missing something here.

Possibly "Russian Tourists" is code for Russian Soldiers ??    Just a guess?

Yes, Putin claims that all those Russian soldiers killed in the invasion of Ukraine were actually Russian tourists, or Russian soldiers who got lost because they didn't know where the actual border boundary was.

[treadmilldude]

OK, so obviously AKMike's post was tongue-in-cheek and his own words when he stated ""UAwire reports that another 38 Russian tourists were murdered"" because, as I understand, UAWire is a pro-Ukraine publication, and as such, they would certainly not call the 38 killed "tourists", but rather, call them as they actually are - 38 Russian "soldiers" ?

Yeah, I am not the most up-to-date on the war in Ukraine although I do try to follow it nearly every day. I follow the economic situation in the FSU countries a lot more closely than the actual war, as the amount of misinformation about the war out there is actually insulting to me. I never know if what I am reading is the truth or some variation of the truth.

I think men like AKMike have extra motivation to stay current on the war situation in Ukraine, as they are married to Ukrainian women.

ML, I just noticed, your FSU Wife is from Ukraine. Do you have a trip report here on RWD? If so, I would love to read it, hopefully I'll learn a lot from your trip report.

[AkMike]

Yeah sorry about that Treadmilldude. It is meant as a bit of a joke since other Russian invaders, Soldiers Errr invaders claimed to be lost tourists who just happened to be dressed in Cammies and carrying automatic rifles.

[jone]

AK Mike,

It is a great tragedy that anyone loses their lives in war.   I am against the Russian incursion into Ukraine.  My record is fairly well known on here.  However, many of those kids that the Russians are sending over to fight the battles for Mother Russia should not be dying, nor should their Ukrainian counterparts.  I lay the blame for this at the feet of the Russian government. 

BUT, that doesn't mean that I don't grieve for the families who lost their sons, husbands and fathers.  I would never rejoice in someone's death.

[AkMike]

I understand that Jone and mainly I agree. 
BUT IMO every Russian sent home with toe tags is another potential Ukrainian soldier or civilian that lives.  War isn't pretty or nice. I tend to root for the underdog that has been invaded in cases like this.

 

[Muzh]

Interesting article on Putin's popularity worldwide vs at home: http://www.ibtimes.com/russia-putin-approval-rating-russian-president-country-viewed-negatively-worldwide-us-2040242

I just read this book review this morning. Very interesting.



Russia’s Wily Men and Women
Russians hold views that seem impossible to reconcile. Students at a reputable school offer a curious mix of heroes: Stalin and Steve Jobs.

Perhaps most telling is Alexander, who lives in a village five hours from the city. He admires Mr. Putin and the system the president has built, even as he complains that corruption is rife, governance is poor, and the local economy is held back by an overbearing and rapacious state. Alexander’s criticisms mirror those of the citizens in the book who consider themselves dissidents and activists, though Alexander would never consider himself either one. “He is proud of Putin,” Ms. Garrels writes, “and between him and those who dread their country’s current course, there is an unbridgeable divide.”

http://www.wsj.com/articles/russias-wily-men-and-women-1460934476

[treadmilldude]

AKMike, I just noticed on your profile description that your Wife is Ukrainian, and you have been married to her for more than 10 years. First of all congratulations, that is a wonderful accomplishment and I am so happy for you and her both. God Bless both of you and I wish you two many more happy years together.

I am not even sure if RWD has been around for more than 10 years, so I have no idea if you have a trip report from way back when you met your Wife and were courting her. But do you have a trip report anywhere on this site?

I have been skimming ML's trip report, I have skimmed the first 8 pages. Lot of arguing in that trip report, everyone going at each other. I am a little bummed out because so far I have not seen any pictures in ML's trip report, and I love love love to see pictures in trip reports, especially when those pictures include lots of very pretty, attractive young FSU girls. (smile)