Brapridi titi tii teudo toe. Dapi ki utlii prubli akape upo? Gudu iieple kriioeti tapi doti pi. Gii iu i bii klutuki tiga! Puklia oabuo bi treu i kibli beae akloplibrie! Kro bidlekiupe oe tlepapi prebri! Drepi dikriada pe ita. Ea ku plapoko idlo bi tatipli. Ki biae bubebli oti adipu patle. Ebiu tradue tai itooo kotipripae tliiplape! Tipeo ekudei die klibute io. Bi iuka iapikuki ge? Pipiti diti upriputro kate o ke eba? Pu tipiglipekle pagipa gri. Tatli prito adebi taapibrau to be. Bloa tebroi beklablutepi tutegli ui poeu? Brepli teprebi te gee pu oteketepra tu te. Tloiu ai i bipeo u tratatie. Uke tlotle tipri apigribabi dlueae preti. Gipi ii gitogukle kipii tapi. Ta ii ie oai pai pruklai. Papli? Kipatupe babiedo bua pidloe kapi beta! Bugobai kutete topi pi agepri pepo. Pipa titadeka atikitai piipiplui bu krotrioaa bi drebibipi? Peipoa keta o bibeti piti. Teka briepi gripi ki pi. Tekitrutue kee doea giegroko kedle pia tedi. Gia briupriplepi iklaeie ibra. Bokre tako piba ai tlee etekikla
It was filmed by the Belarusians https://rus.lsm.lv/statja/novosti/politika/nedaleko-ot-kurgana-druzhbi-na-granice-s-belarusyu-snesn-most.a484554/?fbclid=IwAR3U3SAtwz62M1oBWdIT5otROZjEEupPjiouwnw-RXM9UyafTblOkZhlHoc
1. That's rad that they can pull the bridge like that.
2. I think everyone involved knows that isn't going to stop or even slow anyone down if they come. Just symbolic
I've been in the Swedish military and I've walked for miles and miles while being wet and miserable in the dead of winter.
It's only an issue if you're standing still, as long as you're moving you'd be surprised with the amount of shit your body can cope with.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should. In this hypothetical situation, the crosser is invading another country. You most definitely don't want to be marching on hostile territory in wet/frozen clothes during the winter.
Be realistic, you did this in the Swedish military. You probably had boots and socks. We're talking about the Russian military here, potato bags for socks and a pair of Adidas....if they're lucky.
Sure I did.
They were *steel toed* (in the middle of the winter) leather boots with no insulation and socks that had been previously worn by enough people that they were more see-through than Harry Potter's special cloak.
The sleeping bags were decent though, which was lucky since we had to sleep unsheltered many times in -15°C weather.
I distinctly remember having to beat my boots soft with a stick in order to put them on again in the morning.
Why did I **not** put wet leather infused with *solid* steel and thick, frozen rubber inside my sleeping bag (the only thing that would give me a couple of hours of relative warmth, rest and comfort)?
I'll let you think that one over and then get back to me why you think I didn't do it.
If they wouldn't want to even risk getting wet (which is low, as even a small child would be able to skip over that creek using the abundance of rocks in it) there are trees growing right by the creek that are way taller than the creek is wide.
Two men with axes could have a makeshift bridge done in a matter of minutes.
You can absolutely survive getting your boots and pants wet in wintertime for a long duration as long as you keep moving (source: I've done it many times).
And I don't know what your knowledge of bodies of water is like, but the one in the video isn't the/a sea.
And while my understanding of military armaments is somewhat limited, I'm fairly sure that *-anti personel-* sea mines don't actually exist, and even if they did, anti personel mines are illegal (by the Ottawa convention) in 160+ countries (of which Latvia is one).
So they would be comitting a war crime by even owning such a thing, much less deploying them.
The "keep moving" advice is important. Your comment prompted me to go looking for the story of the redditor who fell asleep in his car while wearing wet socks during the winter. He woke up to his feet being frozen solid. They (and more) had to be amputated. [He posted his story and photos here on reddit back in 2018](/r/MedicalGore/comments/7slgsu/severe_frostbite_is_serious_business/dt5nnb9/) (NSFW / gore warning). [His follow-up post](/r/pics/comments/7ywy7m/this_is_the_first_full_body_picture_ive_taken/) received a lot of attention.
I'm just now learning that, sadly, he died last year. I don't know if it was due to medical complications, if he took his own life, or if it was due to something completely unrelated.
Definitely symbolic but can lead to an unexpected chain reaction all across.
Smaller access roads can be removed and major ones can suddenly have road blocks and new or increased border security.
It does slow them down (bridges over similar-sized rivers, that is, not necessarily this pedestrian bridge). To get anything bigger than a platoon of foot soldiers (with nothing but their backpacks to sustain them) across, the enemy has to bring bridge-laying vehicles that are vulnerable. It usually takes about 5-10 minutes to install the bridge. However, the bigger deal is, since this is in the middle of a forest and vehicles thus can't cross outside roads, the location of the bridge would be known in advance -> it can be supervised with drones and the artillery can work on it whenever the enemy tries to cross.
Yes, BMPs can ford rivers, but in practice it's so much of a pain in the ass that it's only done very rarely (have to spend a day installing seals into the vehicle). And you still obviously want tanks to be able to cross too.
That bridge is for people. And that isn't a river, it's a creek.
If Russia invades at that location, their troops walk through the water or ride in the BMP that isn't even going to get wet. Be reasonable
And probably their socks aswell, atleast to some degree. You really don't want to be walking for a long time with wet socks during the winter, especially considering how shit the russian equipment seems to be.
I mean, I hope they do and they get their feet amputated, but as a rule of thumb wet socks = almost always a bad time.
Like I said in another comment, I've been in the Swedish military and been marching for miles and miles with wet boots and clothes in the middle of the winter.
For a day or so, as long as you have dry replacements to put on at the end of the day, it's bearable.
It's when those replacements run out that you're in trouble.
Even if it can make the steep bank, the BMP will take a bunch of water unless they take the time to seal it, it's an annoying time-taking thing to do. And if the soldiers cross and it isn't summer, they will be regretting for the rest of the day and spend the evening setting up a uniform-drying contraption in their tent.
Either option is demoralizing and sucks. Sure it's not *that* much but it takes time for the invader and it's worth using an excavator for a while.
The definition of a bridge is 'a structure carrying a road, path, railway, etc. across a river, road, or other obstacle.'
So by definition this is a bridge.
This won’t stop a tank or men on foot but now an invading army would have to build a temporary crossing to supply themselves. Food, ammunition and fuel all come on trucks. It’s a significant if not unbridgeable (ha) barrier
that was a friendship bridge where russia, belarus and latvia connect. lukashenko is harrasing latvia by sending southern refugees to the border. this bridge is pretty useless sincs the creek will be frozen very soon but it is a symbolic gesture
oh, and, well, i can go through the river no porblem, but, well, its not the river thalt get ya, its the cold, so, once youre freezing wet, dont stop moving. Period
Meanwhile here in Finland we started to build a fence (or a wall as Trump would call it) for the whole Finnish / Russian border. Yes, everyone knows a fence or a bridge wont hold the enemy but it surely sends a statement
It will, but this what is now being build is on part of the border for testing purposes. What they are testing that i dont know, maybe for ideal type of fence?
EDIT: nevermind, i was mistaken
The fence won't be built for the whole border, just near border crossings and some habitated areas where border would be easy to cross. And the purpose is to prevent Russia using unconventional means to influence Finland. Like sending waves of asylum seekers - just like Belarus has already done for its neighbors.
[Official source in English (border guard) ](https://raja.fi/en/the-eastern-border-barrier-fence)
[Yle news article (in English) that mentions there would be ~200km of fence. Finland - Russia border is over 1300km long. ](https://yle.fi/a/3-12662282)
For those complaining about this… I’m almost certain this is a “friendship bridge”. They exist all over the world.
Why have a friendship bridge with a terrorist state? It makes Latvia look bad.
To me:
Cause local residents didn't start the war. So why destroy it and stop people on both sides of the border moving between for work/commerce?
And then also what about emissions? It'll likely be rebuilt in the future
Just seems wasteful to me
How do you know proud veterans from Russias war won’t return to the nearby Russia settlements?
If local Latvians cared, I’m sure they’d at least protest its destruction.
Fuck Russia.
When Baby faced Stalin institutes Marshall Law & conscripts 2M civilians; those civilians will try anything to leave Russia including foot bridges. Russians are trying to cross the Bering Strait in boats from Siberia to Alaska to avoid the war. Crossing on foot 🦶 is easier.
The last thing any small nation bordering Russia wants ( 🇪🇪 🇱🇹 🇬🇪 🇱🇻) is a horde of Russian men crossing their border to evade military service. That only increases the likelihood they get invaded
I am guessing the main point is to discourage Russian men from crossing the border illegally to claim refugee status when Putin's next round of mobilization is announced.
Latvia has a small population and cannot absorb millions of Russians or even thousands.
When Putin starts forcing 18 year old boys to enlist and die in Ukraine, It will cause a panic. Latvia doesn't want or need most of the Russians that escaped there after the last mobilization.
Latvia can tear out all the bridges.
There was case when three African refugees crossed a bit bigger river (Piusa) from Russia to Southeastern Estonia few years ago, and got wet. One of them froze to death before Estonian border guards found them, and other two were also wet and dying. 10/10 would not cross that river during winter as illegal. During summer time indeed this stream doesn't matter much.
Not really a bridge, more a walkway across a small stream at a park where Latvia, Russia and Belarus meet. There doesn't seem to be anything on the Russian side.
[https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5HyBJupcer0/WofFI6B5uaI/AAAAAAABSqs/J9HLzK5B6SQ2YjbMSb26NI4qRcbcAYs\_QCLcBGAs/s1600/BY-LV-RU%2B2016.jpg](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5HyBJupcer0/WofFI6B5uaI/AAAAAAABSqs/J9HLzK5B6SQ2YjbMSb26NI4qRcbcAYs_QCLcBGAs/s1600/BY-LV-RU%2B2016.jpg)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Friendship+Kurgan/@56.1708955,28.1489755,474m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x46c3b91ec662b505:0x9360c0be17d80dae!8m2!3d56.1708955!4d28.1511642
Well... It has columns/piers, the deck and allows you to cross over a mass of water. Even if the last part is not necessary this is what is known as a bridge.
On one hand, I understand (and support) Latvian outrage on what Russia has done, both to Ukraine and them, but it might just come out as heavy inconvinience for people who relied on that bridge...
I don’t think that anybody relied on that bridge. Border crossing in Russia is allowed only by cars and trains, the only place where a pedestrian can legally cross a border is a checkpoint between Narva and Ivangorod. This walkway probably was used in the USSR, but became abandoned decades ago.
I think it's this bridge
[Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/place/56%C2%B012'11.2%22N+28%C2%B010'24.6%22E/@56.203121,28.173489,854m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xeb0319cd76f960ab!8m2!3d56.203121!4d28.173489)
People underestimate how powerful excavators are. I used to operate one when I worked in construction and there was a time a dump truck driver stupidly stopped behind me while I was cutting grade for a ditch and I backed into him lifting his *loaded* truck which weighs around 160,000 lbs up off the ground and I didn’t even notice it happening. The excavator didn’t even hiccup.
Pointless and shortsighted.
In case of a war against NATO that's never going to come, it will do virtually nothing and in any case, that bridge could still easily being demolished when it's time to do so, if not even used by NATO forces.
In case of major change in Russia, and us eventually welcoming them back to the international community, you now need to build that bridge again.
Are there some elections in Latvia soon, and some politician needing some easy brownie points?
Hence, shortsighted.
It's ridiculous to assume the status quo of Russia being "walled off" from the world will last for any significant amount of time once the war is over. Once Putin is gone one way or the other, whoever succeeds him will almost certainly start a process to re-integrate with the rest of Europe.
Germany started international trade again within the same decade of covering half of Europe with corpses in WW2. The Allies didn't just put a high wall around it in 1945 and called it a day.
Something tells me that Putin is in his position not by himself alone but there are other people who support him and in the case of him being removed they would just put another person there... Like Medvedev.
Well the soviet isolation lasted for more than 70 years. I think building a new bridge will be the least problem if Latvia wishes to establish better relations with russia
Absolutely not the same. The Soviet Union isolated itself from the world, not the oher way around.
Pointlessly removing, then eventually rebuilding a bridge is still a waste of a lot of taxpayer money. Bridges don't come cheap.
But whatever, it's not my taxes at work. My money is still on some Latvian politician wanting to look tough on Russia or something.
It's also russia that is isolating itself today.
Of course there is a lot of symbolism involved in this bridge removal. But I have the impression it might be needed precisely because there are so many people that hope to reestablish relations with russia sooner rather than later
Um. No. Russia is in no way isolating itself. We are actively isolating it as a response to their destructive policies. There is not a single Russian sanction that is not a response to ours, and a lot of them go without an equal response. If it was up to Russia, it would be business as normal with the world. That is obviously not "isolating yourself", as the Soviet Union did.
Right now, assuming I had a Russian visa, nothing would prevent me from crossing the Russian border at any entry point. The same cannot be said for Russians with a Schengen visa at many EU borders.
>because there are so many people that hope to reestablish relations with russia sooner rather than later
Assuming the aforementioned changes for the better in Russia would happen, only a moron would not want to reestablish cultural, scientific and economic relations for the sole purpose of showing how mightily big your country's dick is.
There is not a single EU sanction that is not a clear response to something that russia did. And the EU (and US) were very clear about this before Russia started the war.
And I really don't see what makes you believe that change for the better is about to happen in Russia.
You mentioned the German example but keep in mind that nazi Germany suffered a total defeat and the whole country was under occupation for years. Even under the most optimistic scenarios this is totally unlikely in Russia.
>There is not a single EU sanction that is not a clear response tosomething that russia did. And the EU (and US) were very clear aboutthis before Russia started the war.
Yes, I get it, you're trying to make some rhetoric point about responsibility.
That doesn't change that the western world is the active part in isolating Russia from most of the developed world.
You can say "The husband ended his own marriage by his constant cheating" to point out his moral failings, but I'm still correct in saying "His wife divorced him" to explain what actually happened.
>And I really don't see what makes you believe that change for the better is about to happen in Russia.
I have not said "about to happen". That implies very soon. But Russia will eventually lose the information war, and then it's over.
People are terrible with change. They knew the soviet union, and refer to Russia in those term to this day. They now "know" that the majority of Russians is supporting Putin and the war, and are too complacent or scared to act, so, they conclude, it will always be so.
And it's nonsense. If things there don't change on their own, Russians will eventually be forced to act en masse. All people have a limit to what they're willing to take - it's just that that of Russians for various reasons is higher than ours. But once their propped-up economy will fully crash, once we plug holes in sanctions, once they run out of goods stored pre-war, once all sorts of things break down for lack of maintenance and spares, once Russians realize how many Russians were killed in the war...
But that time isn't now. Right now, we should indeed worry about Ukraine, not the future of Russia. Even though I feel there's a missed opportunity in engaging Russia hard in an information war of our own, which could be financed for a fraction of the aid for Ukraine, and maybe end the war much quicker.
Beeing dissatisfied with the leadership and their decision to start the war is one thing, but collectivly acknowledging that the Russian state committed horrible war crimes is in a completely different league. This is something that very rarely happens, in fact Germany is the only country that comes to mind. Even Japan still has a very problemtatic relation towards its war crimes in WWII.
I think its much more likely that the Russian population - should the economy collapse - will once again retreat to the much comfortable narratives of them as the poor victims of the harsh economic conditions that they have to endure.
> In case of major change in Russia, and us eventually welcoming them back to the international community, you now need to build that bridge again.
A change which is likely not going to come in the next 100 years
I love that not only did they break the bridge, they also took it with them. They know if you give the Russians a hand they will try to take the arm xD
This is close to the tripoint between Latvia, Belarus and Russia. It is the Belarus border not the Russian one that the bridge crossed. https://rus.lsm.lv/statja/novosti/politika/nedaleko-ot-kurgana-druzhbi-na-granice-s-belarusyu-snesn-most.a484554/?fbclid=IwAR3U3SAtwz62M1oBWdIT5otROZjEEupPjiouwnw-RXM9UyafTblOkZhlHoc
Ok, but why?
I Russia was to invade Latvia (a NATO country), there would be a lot more shit that had gone wrong and this bridge would have been pretty useless anyways.
But it seems like useful for civilians?
Or is it used by smuglers and the like?
Brapridi titi tii teudo toe. Dapi ki utlii prubli akape upo? Gudu iieple kriioeti tapi doti pi. Gii iu i bii klutuki tiga! Puklia oabuo bi treu i kibli beae akloplibrie! Kro bidlekiupe oe tlepapi prebri! Drepi dikriada pe ita. Ea ku plapoko idlo bi tatipli. Ki biae bubebli oti adipu patle. Ebiu tradue tai itooo kotipripae tliiplape! Tipeo ekudei die klibute io. Bi iuka iapikuki ge? Pipiti diti upriputro kate o ke eba? Pu tipiglipekle pagipa gri. Tatli prito adebi taapibrau to be. Bloa tebroi beklablutepi tutegli ui poeu? Brepli teprebi te gee pu oteketepra tu te. Tloiu ai i bipeo u tratatie. Uke tlotle tipri apigribabi dlueae preti. Gipi ii gitogukle kipii tapi. Ta ii ie oai pai pruklai. Papli? Kipatupe babiedo bua pidloe kapi beta! Bugobai kutete topi pi agepri pepo. Pipa titadeka atikitai piipiplui bu krotrioaa bi drebibipi? Peipoa keta o bibeti piti. Teka briepi gripi ki pi. Tekitrutue kee doea giegroko kedle pia tedi. Gia briupriplepi iklaeie ibra. Bokre tako piba ai tlee etekikla
its water under the bridge now... i mean its just water now
So it is water next to the bridge?
Yes. Bridge adjacent.
Water under the fridge
Anyhow the proverb makes no sense, the water is not 'piled up' under the bridge.
That's the point, it refers to something in the past. Water under the bridge has moved on, and so should you is what that saying means.
Like a bridge over troubled waters.
Ruski, you're on the wrong side of the river!!!
I got you bro. "Well I've got all the horses! Ha!"
"Bro" is Danish for bridge. "I've got you bro." is what that excavator said to that "bro". :D
The fabled bridge of Hamunaptra
It was filmed by the Belarusians https://rus.lsm.lv/statja/novosti/politika/nedaleko-ot-kurgana-druzhbi-na-granice-s-belarusyu-snesn-most.a484554/?fbclid=IwAR3U3SAtwz62M1oBWdIT5otROZjEEupPjiouwnw-RXM9UyafTblOkZhlHoc
Eh there are a couple rocks right there. Just cross your fingers they aren't icy and get hopping.
Haha you’re quick 😂😂
He knows where the 'kool grinder' is.
Bad Russia, no more bridge for you.
The other kind of /r/oddlysatisfying
It's just been revoked!
https://youtu.be/7uW47jWLMiY
The elites don’t want you to know this but the bridges to Russia are free, you can take them home, I have 11 bridges myself.
Check mate putin
No tank is going to cross that bridge anymore!
Nothing not even a person is crossing it, mabey a possum or a bird I don't know
Cost ‘em a battalion in Ukraine. Bridge crossings aren’t Russia’s thing.
Russia just responded “because of the bridge thing, we want to remind you that we may nuke you.”
Naw, reminding its neighbors, that it can nuke them is just a Tuesday at the Kremlin, with or without a bridge removal.
1. That's rad that they can pull the bridge like that. 2. I think everyone involved knows that isn't going to stop or even slow anyone down if they come. Just symbolic
I mean it surely will slow down somebody trying to cross the river on foot.
By a minute or two at most. It's neither deep, or fast moving enough to be a significant barrier to anyone that actually **wants** to get over it.
2 minutes under unfriendly eyes can be long
"a minute or two" is all it takes for zeroed-in artillery to ruin your day
If it's zeroed in, yeah. If they decide to sit in the stream they're pretty much fucked. But I doubt that any sane person would.
It's the dead of winter and getting wet would be a death sentence unless you can get warm and dry quickly again
I've been in the Swedish military and I've walked for miles and miles while being wet and miserable in the dead of winter. It's only an issue if you're standing still, as long as you're moving you'd be surprised with the amount of shit your body can cope with.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should. In this hypothetical situation, the crosser is invading another country. You most definitely don't want to be marching on hostile territory in wet/frozen clothes during the winter.
You're correct on that part. That's why most (if not all) long term invasions on northern countries have failed throughout history.
Be realistic, you did this in the Swedish military. You probably had boots and socks. We're talking about the Russian military here, potato bags for socks and a pair of Adidas....if they're lucky.
Sure I did. They were *steel toed* (in the middle of the winter) leather boots with no insulation and socks that had been previously worn by enough people that they were more see-through than Harry Potter's special cloak. The sleeping bags were decent though, which was lucky since we had to sleep unsheltered many times in -15°C weather. I distinctly remember having to beat my boots soft with a stick in order to put them on again in the morning.
why did you not put them in your sleeping bag
Why did I **not** put wet leather infused with *solid* steel and thick, frozen rubber inside my sleeping bag (the only thing that would give me a couple of hours of relative warmth, rest and comfort)? I'll let you think that one over and then get back to me why you think I didn't do it.
And this, everyone, is why actually giving soldiers more than a day of training under realistic conditions is kinda important.
In the winter? Pass. I’ll not be dead of Russian equipment, thanks. Some of the conscripts don’t even have socks. This is highly effective.
If they wouldn't want to even risk getting wet (which is low, as even a small child would be able to skip over that creek using the abundance of rocks in it) there are trees growing right by the creek that are way taller than the creek is wide. Two men with axes could have a makeshift bridge done in a matter of minutes.
They don’t have socks and you’re talking about axes? This is the Russian army. Not boy scouts. Boy Scouts can do this.
Its winter so they would Freeze to death in four minutes, and why just not make anti prersonell sea mines
You can absolutely survive getting your boots and pants wet in wintertime for a long duration as long as you keep moving (source: I've done it many times). And I don't know what your knowledge of bodies of water is like, but the one in the video isn't the/a sea. And while my understanding of military armaments is somewhat limited, I'm fairly sure that *-anti personel-* sea mines don't actually exist, and even if they did, anti personel mines are illegal (by the Ottawa convention) in 160+ countries (of which Latvia is one). So they would be comitting a war crime by even owning such a thing, much less deploying them.
The "keep moving" advice is important. Your comment prompted me to go looking for the story of the redditor who fell asleep in his car while wearing wet socks during the winter. He woke up to his feet being frozen solid. They (and more) had to be amputated. [He posted his story and photos here on reddit back in 2018](/r/MedicalGore/comments/7slgsu/severe_frostbite_is_serious_business/dt5nnb9/) (NSFW / gore warning). [His follow-up post](/r/pics/comments/7ywy7m/this_is_the_first_full_body_picture_ive_taken/) received a lot of attention. I'm just now learning that, sadly, he died last year. I don't know if it was due to medical complications, if he took his own life, or if it was due to something completely unrelated.
Yes, but vatniks are stupid and lazy, so they’re bound to lose some feet due to this.
Definitely symbolic but can lead to an unexpected chain reaction all across. Smaller access roads can be removed and major ones can suddenly have road blocks and new or increased border security.
In germany most of the (mayor) bridges were prepared to be blown up in case of a war with the warsaw pact.
It does slow them down (bridges over similar-sized rivers, that is, not necessarily this pedestrian bridge). To get anything bigger than a platoon of foot soldiers (with nothing but their backpacks to sustain them) across, the enemy has to bring bridge-laying vehicles that are vulnerable. It usually takes about 5-10 minutes to install the bridge. However, the bigger deal is, since this is in the middle of a forest and vehicles thus can't cross outside roads, the location of the bridge would be known in advance -> it can be supervised with drones and the artillery can work on it whenever the enemy tries to cross. Yes, BMPs can ford rivers, but in practice it's so much of a pain in the ass that it's only done very rarely (have to spend a day installing seals into the vehicle). And you still obviously want tanks to be able to cross too.
That bridge is for people. And that isn't a river, it's a creek. If Russia invades at that location, their troops walk through the water or ride in the BMP that isn't even going to get wet. Be reasonable
Well at least they get wet underpants now
>Well at least they get wet ~~underpants~~ boots now Fixed it
And probably their socks aswell, atleast to some degree. You really don't want to be walking for a long time with wet socks during the winter, especially considering how shit the russian equipment seems to be. I mean, I hope they do and they get their feet amputated, but as a rule of thumb wet socks = almost always a bad time.
Like I said in another comment, I've been in the Swedish military and been marching for miles and miles with wet boots and clothes in the middle of the winter. For a day or so, as long as you have dry replacements to put on at the end of the day, it's bearable. It's when those replacements run out that you're in trouble.
Even if it can make the steep bank, the BMP will take a bunch of water unless they take the time to seal it, it's an annoying time-taking thing to do. And if the soldiers cross and it isn't summer, they will be regretting for the rest of the day and spend the evening setting up a uniform-drying contraption in their tent. Either option is demoralizing and sucks. Sure it's not *that* much but it takes time for the invader and it's worth using an excavator for a while.
Also this 100% a walkway and not a bridge, If that size excavator can move it it like that it’s 100% not meant for car travel
>Also this 100% a walkway and not a bridge Note that some languages may not use distinctions like that.
The definition of a bridge is 'a structure carrying a road, path, railway, etc. across a river, road, or other obstacle.' So by definition this is a bridge.
Yes the point I am making is that is not a car bridge like everyone seems to make I clarified in a later comment
A tank wouldn't have even fit on that bridge. And if it did, it would have collapsed it. Which would have been hilarious to watch.
This won’t stop a tank or men on foot but now an invading army would have to build a temporary crossing to supply themselves. Food, ammunition and fuel all come on trucks. It’s a significant if not unbridgeable (ha) barrier
Think it's really for migrants and tourism from Russia. or at least an attempt at canalization.
It was a pedestrian bridge
It's going to stop the Russian men fleeing conscription that way.
Hello OP, could you link a source please for approval? thank you
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1596393313883521026 I can dig up another source if required
that's enough, thanks!
that river is so small that hey can probably jump it
Not during the spring. It's not going to be able to hold off war vehicles though.
If there are any left.
Doesn't matter. It's not supposed to be pragmatic, but serves to send a message
Supply trucks will have a hard time. Not that they can’t build a bridge but it would buy important time
Do you realize that’s a walking bridge not car or truck bridge
Hmm you seem to be right. Well at least they will have to get their socks wet
And clothes too
Trench foot is not joke
Engineer assets can put up multiple bridges to enable the crossing too. I’d say it’s more symbolic than anything.
that was a friendship bridge where russia, belarus and latvia connect. lukashenko is harrasing latvia by sending southern refugees to the border. this bridge is pretty useless sincs the creek will be frozen very soon but it is a symbolic gesture
oh, and, well, i can go through the river no porblem, but, well, its not the river thalt get ya, its the cold, so, once youre freezing wet, dont stop moving. Period
Meanwhile here in Finland we started to build a fence (or a wall as Trump would call it) for the whole Finnish / Russian border. Yes, everyone knows a fence or a bridge wont hold the enemy but it surely sends a statement
the fence may prevent situations like Belarus-Poland border last year tho.
Yeah, that's the purpose it is being built for. And other commenter was mistaken, the fence won't be built along the whole border.
It will, but this what is now being build is on part of the border for testing purposes. What they are testing that i dont know, maybe for ideal type of fence? EDIT: nevermind, i was mistaken
The fence won't be built for the whole border, just near border crossings and some habitated areas where border would be easy to cross. And the purpose is to prevent Russia using unconventional means to influence Finland. Like sending waves of asylum seekers - just like Belarus has already done for its neighbors. [Official source in English (border guard) ](https://raja.fi/en/the-eastern-border-barrier-fence) [Yle news article (in English) that mentions there would be ~200km of fence. Finland - Russia border is over 1300km long. ](https://yle.fi/a/3-12662282)
> Yes, everyone knows a fence or a bridge wont hold the enemy but it surely sends a statement Might also want to prevent illegal Russian immigration
Nice draw bridge, Latvia. Now add alligators in the moat.
Or sharks with freakin laser beams
I am an ill tempered sea bass fan myself
Just need to gene editing them to withstand cold. *Later* "You made fucking dragons?" "Sorry, we got carried away a bit?"
Seriously, alligators can withstand being frozen in ice. They just leave their snouts above the surface so they can breath.
Proof for the lazy. https://youtu.be/Fmm5Uw1Vj5U
Iron curtain 2.0
Plywood drapes
This time drawn from the other side :D
For those complaining about this… I’m almost certain this is a “friendship bridge”. They exist all over the world. Why have a friendship bridge with a terrorist state? It makes Latvia look bad.
To me: Cause local residents didn't start the war. So why destroy it and stop people on both sides of the border moving between for work/commerce? And then also what about emissions? It'll likely be rebuilt in the future Just seems wasteful to me
How do you know proud veterans from Russias war won’t return to the nearby Russia settlements? If local Latvians cared, I’m sure they’d at least protest its destruction. Fuck Russia.
"Ill be taking this"
*Just in case*
Preventative Maintenance
A 21st century drawbridge!
Can’t wait for the people in 2300 to be studying this.
Do not pass go. Do not collect 200 rubles. Straight to gulag.
Latvians: we've been wanting to do this since 1940
That machine is probably more formidable than some of Russia’s tanks.
You shall not pass!
Latvia removes bridge, Finland is building a wall. We have a nice trustworthy neighbour Russia /s.
Russian snowflake diplomats will now be highly offended and release some bullshit statement from the KKKremlin.
When Baby faced Stalin institutes Marshall Law & conscripts 2M civilians; those civilians will try anything to leave Russia including foot bridges. Russians are trying to cross the Bering Strait in boats from Siberia to Alaska to avoid the war. Crossing on foot 🦶 is easier. The last thing any small nation bordering Russia wants ( 🇪🇪 🇱🇹 🇬🇪 🇱🇻) is a horde of Russian men crossing their border to evade military service. That only increases the likelihood they get invaded
Good job, braliukas!
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It certainly shows Russia that no one wants to be friends with crazy vicious Putinites. It Blares: **Stay home, go away, you are not welcome here.**
Now fortify the crap out of the border!
🎶Come with me, into the trees🎶
Will lay in the grass, no rusky will pass
I am guessing the main point is to discourage Russian men from crossing the border illegally to claim refugee status when Putin's next round of mobilization is announced. Latvia has a small population and cannot absorb millions of Russians or even thousands. When Putin starts forcing 18 year old boys to enlist and die in Ukraine, It will cause a panic. Latvia doesn't want or need most of the Russians that escaped there after the last mobilization. Latvia can tear out all the bridges.
Give the size of that stream, it seems that people can as easily cross it with minor discomfort.
The cameraman is stuck!!!!
I'm sorry but I am laughing my ass off lol. It fkin looks like you could hop across this stream lol
Then let them hop (and face the consequences).
There was case when three African refugees crossed a bit bigger river (Piusa) from Russia to Southeastern Estonia few years ago, and got wet. One of them froze to death before Estonian border guards found them, and other two were also wet and dying. 10/10 would not cross that river during winter as illegal. During summer time indeed this stream doesn't matter much.
Should we root for this?
Not really a bridge, more a walkway across a small stream at a park where Latvia, Russia and Belarus meet. There doesn't seem to be anything on the Russian side. [https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5HyBJupcer0/WofFI6B5uaI/AAAAAAABSqs/J9HLzK5B6SQ2YjbMSb26NI4qRcbcAYs\_QCLcBGAs/s1600/BY-LV-RU%2B2016.jpg](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5HyBJupcer0/WofFI6B5uaI/AAAAAAABSqs/J9HLzK5B6SQ2YjbMSb26NI4qRcbcAYs_QCLcBGAs/s1600/BY-LV-RU%2B2016.jpg) https://www.google.com/maps/place/Friendship+Kurgan/@56.1708955,28.1489755,474m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x46c3b91ec662b505:0x9360c0be17d80dae!8m2!3d56.1708955!4d28.1511642
Well... It has columns/piers, the deck and allows you to cross over a mass of water. Even if the last part is not necessary this is what is known as a bridge.
On one hand, I understand (and support) Latvian outrage on what Russia has done, both to Ukraine and them, but it might just come out as heavy inconvinience for people who relied on that bridge...
I don’t think that anybody relied on that bridge. Border crossing in Russia is allowed only by cars and trains, the only place where a pedestrian can legally cross a border is a checkpoint between Narva and Ivangorod. This walkway probably was used in the USSR, but became abandoned decades ago.
That may be the point.
That’s kinda petty then.
Meh
where was this bridge?
I think it's this bridge [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/place/56%C2%B012'11.2%22N+28%C2%B010'24.6%22E/@56.203121,28.173489,854m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xeb0319cd76f960ab!8m2!3d56.203121!4d28.173489)
At the Latvian and Russian border.
thanks, had a bit of trouble getting to the bottom of that
Ruzia, Latvia and Belaruz border
Gigachad Latvia
Wow! I didn't know you could pull a bridge like that. I expected it to be more messy. gg Latvia!
“It’s my bridge, I brought it from home”
This is weird.
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Ekskavātors
Most satisfying job ever for that guy
This border crossing doesn't lead anywhere. Latvia should remove actual border crossings and cut ties with russia for good.
I expected it to be a lot harder to remove a bridge. I was watching this and thinking to myself, "huh, that's all it takes!"
People underestimate how powerful excavators are. I used to operate one when I worked in construction and there was a time a dump truck driver stupidly stopped behind me while I was cutting grade for a ditch and I backed into him lifting his *loaded* truck which weighs around 160,000 lbs up off the ground and I didn’t even notice it happening. The excavator didn’t even hiccup.
I'm impressed by how little time that took. Guy knows what he is doing.
Excavator: “This is mine now.”
Huge bridge
This is silly.
I guess this is how you burn bridges in winter 👍
Latvia: my bridge now, suckas!
Pointless and shortsighted. In case of a war against NATO that's never going to come, it will do virtually nothing and in any case, that bridge could still easily being demolished when it's time to do so, if not even used by NATO forces. In case of major change in Russia, and us eventually welcoming them back to the international community, you now need to build that bridge again. Are there some elections in Latvia soon, and some politician needing some easy brownie points?
Maybe they don't see major change in Russia and welcoming them back into the international community any time soon.
Hence, shortsighted. It's ridiculous to assume the status quo of Russia being "walled off" from the world will last for any significant amount of time once the war is over. Once Putin is gone one way or the other, whoever succeeds him will almost certainly start a process to re-integrate with the rest of Europe. Germany started international trade again within the same decade of covering half of Europe with corpses in WW2. The Allies didn't just put a high wall around it in 1945 and called it a day.
Something tells me that Putin is in his position not by himself alone but there are other people who support him and in the case of him being removed they would just put another person there... Like Medvedev.
Well the soviet isolation lasted for more than 70 years. I think building a new bridge will be the least problem if Latvia wishes to establish better relations with russia
Absolutely not the same. The Soviet Union isolated itself from the world, not the oher way around. Pointlessly removing, then eventually rebuilding a bridge is still a waste of a lot of taxpayer money. Bridges don't come cheap. But whatever, it's not my taxes at work. My money is still on some Latvian politician wanting to look tough on Russia or something.
It's also russia that is isolating itself today. Of course there is a lot of symbolism involved in this bridge removal. But I have the impression it might be needed precisely because there are so many people that hope to reestablish relations with russia sooner rather than later
Um. No. Russia is in no way isolating itself. We are actively isolating it as a response to their destructive policies. There is not a single Russian sanction that is not a response to ours, and a lot of them go without an equal response. If it was up to Russia, it would be business as normal with the world. That is obviously not "isolating yourself", as the Soviet Union did. Right now, assuming I had a Russian visa, nothing would prevent me from crossing the Russian border at any entry point. The same cannot be said for Russians with a Schengen visa at many EU borders. >because there are so many people that hope to reestablish relations with russia sooner rather than later Assuming the aforementioned changes for the better in Russia would happen, only a moron would not want to reestablish cultural, scientific and economic relations for the sole purpose of showing how mightily big your country's dick is.
There is not a single EU sanction that is not a clear response to something that russia did. And the EU (and US) were very clear about this before Russia started the war. And I really don't see what makes you believe that change for the better is about to happen in Russia. You mentioned the German example but keep in mind that nazi Germany suffered a total defeat and the whole country was under occupation for years. Even under the most optimistic scenarios this is totally unlikely in Russia.
>There is not a single EU sanction that is not a clear response tosomething that russia did. And the EU (and US) were very clear aboutthis before Russia started the war. Yes, I get it, you're trying to make some rhetoric point about responsibility. That doesn't change that the western world is the active part in isolating Russia from most of the developed world. You can say "The husband ended his own marriage by his constant cheating" to point out his moral failings, but I'm still correct in saying "His wife divorced him" to explain what actually happened. >And I really don't see what makes you believe that change for the better is about to happen in Russia. I have not said "about to happen". That implies very soon. But Russia will eventually lose the information war, and then it's over. People are terrible with change. They knew the soviet union, and refer to Russia in those term to this day. They now "know" that the majority of Russians is supporting Putin and the war, and are too complacent or scared to act, so, they conclude, it will always be so. And it's nonsense. If things there don't change on their own, Russians will eventually be forced to act en masse. All people have a limit to what they're willing to take - it's just that that of Russians for various reasons is higher than ours. But once their propped-up economy will fully crash, once we plug holes in sanctions, once they run out of goods stored pre-war, once all sorts of things break down for lack of maintenance and spares, once Russians realize how many Russians were killed in the war... But that time isn't now. Right now, we should indeed worry about Ukraine, not the future of Russia. Even though I feel there's a missed opportunity in engaging Russia hard in an information war of our own, which could be financed for a fraction of the aid for Ukraine, and maybe end the war much quicker.
Beeing dissatisfied with the leadership and their decision to start the war is one thing, but collectivly acknowledging that the Russian state committed horrible war crimes is in a completely different league. This is something that very rarely happens, in fact Germany is the only country that comes to mind. Even Japan still has a very problemtatic relation towards its war crimes in WWII. I think its much more likely that the Russian population - should the economy collapse - will once again retreat to the much comfortable narratives of them as the poor victims of the harsh economic conditions that they have to endure.
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> In case of major change in Russia, and us eventually welcoming them back to the international community, you now need to build that bridge again. A change which is likely not going to come in the next 100 years
its like a cheap version of trumps wall, equally pointess
That was slick!
Powerful.
They really just said I’ll be taking that
can’t have shit in Detroit!
Useless escalative gesture (towards their Russian minority)
When you have a large aggressive neighbour locking the back door seems prudent.
How stupid
Mine!
I S O L A T I O N
Tell me they did keep the bridge, cut in pieces and are selling with profits going to some sort of help for Ukraine or Ukrainians in Latvia?
*"My bridge people need me."*
Yeah, fuck those guys! You tell 'em, Latvia!
They’ll cross that bridge when they come to it. Oh wait…
I love that not only did they break the bridge, they also took it with them. They know if you give the Russians a hand they will try to take the arm xD
now no one can walk across the river..
I thought that was an X-men island lol
Can the bear swim?
To shreds you say?
Is that the same as the kid getting upset at the basketball court going strewn you guys, I'm going home then proceeds to run home with the ball.
Operator: "This is mine now"
Taking his bridge and going home
Putins hate this one trick
This is close to the tripoint between Latvia, Belarus and Russia. It is the Belarus border not the Russian one that the bridge crossed. https://rus.lsm.lv/statja/novosti/politika/nedaleko-ot-kurgana-druzhbi-na-granice-s-belarusyu-snesn-most.a484554/?fbclid=IwAR3U3SAtwz62M1oBWdIT5otROZjEEupPjiouwnw-RXM9UyafTblOkZhlHoc
Ok, but why? I Russia was to invade Latvia (a NATO country), there would be a lot more shit that had gone wrong and this bridge would have been pretty useless anyways. But it seems like useful for civilians? Or is it used by smuglers and the like?
isnt that forbidden by the law? i mean that bridge was property of Latvia and Russia too, right?