Most the cat will help occupy your time #WaitingfortheBridge from Russia to annexed Crimea. Image from @cat_the_most on Instagram.
If you were ever at a loss as to what your social media strategy should include when you're slowly building a very expensive bridge to illegally annexed territory, the answer is: cats.
The so-called “Crimean Bridge” is an ambitious construction project launched by Russia shortly after its annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in the spring of 2014. Because Russia currently has no land connection to Crimea, the bridge, stretching from the Kuban region of Russia to the shores of Crimea, would be a strategic transportation artery, allowing Russia to carry supplies, construction materials, goods, and people to the peninsula and back.
Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the idea of the bridge across the Kerch straight back in March of 2014, and later Prime-Minister Dmitry Medvedev assigned the “Stroygazmontazh” construction company, owned by Putin ally, oligarch Arkady Rotenberg, as the main contractor for the bridge development project.
Although initially the planning and construction costs for the bridge were projected to be around 50 billion rubles ($709 million), more recent estimates by state companies involved in the project put the figure at close to 300 billion rubles ($4.25 billion).
Russian authorities say they want to complete the bridge by December 2018, but many experts are skeptical about the project's feasibility, pointing to huge expenses and geological challenges.
Although the 19-kilometer-long bridge is nowhere near complete, it already has a strong Internet presence and—what's more important—a cat-based social media strategy.
The splash page of the Crimean Bridge website. Screenshot from most.life.
Not long ago the bridge got an official website, most.life, where users can learn about the construction project's history and progress, and see photos and videos related to the endeavor. “The very URL of the website isn't an accident,” claims the project's press service. “The quality of life for people on both sides of the straight directly depends on the bridge.”
The (as yet non-existent) bridge also has accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, mostly sharing the same cinematic images of the construction process and the local sights, as well as bits of ephemera related to bridge-making.
Photo of the construction process. Image from the Crimean Bridge VKontakte page.
Our favorite part of the Crimean bridge social media activity is a separate Instagram account of a cat called “Cat the Most” (“мост” is Russian for “bridge”) featuring a feline mascot hanging about the construction site, monitoring the bridge's progress, and dispensing regular wisecracks. Just look at this guy.
If they keep feeding me like this for another month, I'll be the size of this truck.
Most the cat even has a legend: the beast allegedly appeared on the construction site one day and was taken in by the workers. The cat's Instagram account tries to cater to various audiences, including hipsters.
Gonna go look for a barbershop in Taman. Wish me luck on this difficult quest.
It's clear that the multitude of social media accounts and their activity aim to occupy the popular imagination while the construction of the transport link shuffles along, with no concrete end date in sight. The bridge's official Instagram account has a little over 1,400 followers, and Most the cat brings in another 637 with its playful images and quips. Whoever is behind the project's social media strategy clearly knows their stuff: on the Internet, cats can fill any void, even if it's a bridge-shaped void worth several billion dollars.
This post is part of RuNet Echo, a Global Voices project to interpret the Russian language internet. All Posts · Read more »
39 comments
Wonderful! I like it!
The Bridge From Russia to Crimea and cat.
I’m from Russia. It was the first time I’ve seen this cat. Thank you. I find it funny.
a bridge too far :-)
Crimea will be given back to Ukraine, Putin goes to The Hague and all russians will be deported to Muscovy.
It is not will be published in the West. I’m amazed at the courage of Ukrainian deputies, which is now ruled by a gang of Ukrainian Nationalists. Even entire cities in Ukraine do not believe in the tale obout the Russian occupation.
I did not adapted the text. It will be more honest to find adapted texts of these events on the Internet.
KIEV, June 24 – RIA Novosti. Kharkiv City Council has once again refused to include in the agenda the question of support for the decision of the Verkhovna Rada on January 27, on the recognition of the Russian Federation “aggressor state”.
RIA Novosti Ukraine KIEV, June 24 – RIA Novosti.
Odessa City Council has once again refused to consider the question of the recognition of Russia “aggressor state”.
During the introduction of this issue to the session voted only 12 deputies, three voted against, two abstained, 41 – did not take part in the vote. Therefore, this issue will not be discussed during the session, reports Tass. December 16, 2015
Poltava City Council did not recognize Russia as the aggressor, and Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republic – the terrorist organizations.
Of the 32 deputies present at the extraordinary session of the Poltava City Council, 20 voted in favor of this decision, another 12 abstained. The approval decision had to score at least 26 votes, writes the Ukrainian edition of “Vesti”.
The mayor of Mariupol Vadim Boychenko December 23 during the session of the City Council did not put to the vote the question of the recognition of Russia as the aggressor, and “DNR” and “LNR” as terrorist organizations. This pass novosti dn ua
Zaporizhie city council refused to recognize Russia “aggressor country”
Deputies Zaporizhzhya City Council refused to vote for the recognition of the Russian Federation as “aggressor country.”
In addition, Zaporozhye MPs refused to recognize terrorist organizations Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republic, according to Tass. 12/25/2015
The deputies of the opposition bloc in Lisichansk city council refused to recognize Russia as the aggressor and the organization “DNR / LNR” as terrorist organizations
This was told by one of the deputies of the City Council, Espresso TV reports with reference to the net LIGA DECEMBER 4, 2015
Kharkiv Regional Council declares Russia aggressor state april 9, 2015
Odessa, December 16, 2015
Zaporizhia Oblast Council recognized Russia aggressor country. September 4, 2015
Better check city council websites before listening or believing in to rus troll propaganda :-) sites
imperiyanews ru details 82101140-eafe-4c32-b09e-34b073424070
lenta ru news 2015 12 25 agression
12/26/2015
Deputies Zaporizhzhya City Council refused to vote for the recognition of Russia as an aggressor, as well as for the recognition of the breakaway Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republic of terrorist organizations.
The issue has not been included in the agenda. According to the agency “Interfax-Ukraine”, with the introduction of the issue voted 29 deputies abstained two people, while 31 voted board member. As a result, the mayor of Zaporozhye Vladimir Buryak proposed to finalize the draft decision and to consider it at its next session.
In April, Zaporizhzhya Regional Council has recognized Russia as aggressor. Then we opposed by only two district council. Repeated voting is due to the changing composition of the City Council.
Recall that in September, in the session hall of the City Council of Odessa activists, demanding the inclusion of the issue of the recognition of Russia as an aggressor, a fight, during which put a garbage bag on the head deputy of the faction “Rodina” Alexander Kazarnovskii.
In July, the deputies of Kharkiv city council failed to recognize the Russian aggressor, supporting a corresponding resolution of the Verkhovna Rada, only the third attempt. In the secret ballot in favor of this decision 69 deputies in favor, four opposed.
A decree Verkhovna Rada adopted on January 27. The document condemned Moscow’s actions and called for the United States and the European Union made a similar statement.
Ukraine, as well as Western countries continue to accuse Russia of intervention in support of the unrecognized republics of Donbass, but to date no evidence has been provided. Moscow has repeatedly stated that it is not a party to the Ukrainian domestic conflict and is interested in his early peaceful settlement.
Schastya
This is the front line. Can you Imagine what is it?
If it weren’t for ethnic russians in volunteer battilions like in Right Sector and Azov, russian dogs could have come further….
http://ukranews.com/news/193008.Gorsovet-Odessi-ne-hochet-priznavat-Rossiyu-stranoy-agressorom.ru
12/16/2015
Odessa City Council refuses to recognize Russia as the aggressor
The final agenda of the session of the Odessa city council is no question of supporting the decision of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on January 27th, 2015 № 129-VIII “On Circulation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the United Nations, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly , GUAM Parliamentary Assembly, the national parliaments of the world on the recognition of the government of the Russian Federation – the aggressor. ” This writes the “Duma”.
The corresponding project designed head of the faction of the party “Block Poroshenko” Solidarity “Oleg Kaminker. He was present in the provisional agenda, published on the website of City Hall, but at the last minute for unknown reasons yet been removed.
The building of the City Council hold a meeting representatives of patriotic organizations – they demand that MPs still considered the matter.
Recall that in September, the municipal assembly has refused to vote in favor of the recognition of Russia as an aggressor.
Odessa – yes. From third attemp
Democracy on the bones of burned alive
10.000+ deaths, mostly civilian, mostly ethnic russians or russian and russian speaking killed by russian dogs as ethic russian girl fled from Donetsk called them…all people putin said he wanted to protect..instead he killed them like now in syria
idiots set place on fire and became smoked fish WOOOHAAA
Results now (only the regional centers): Odessa, Zaporozhye, Mariupol refuses to recognize Russia as the aggressor.
Хотя тебе украинцу этого не понять.
Muscovy говорят только украинцы
Wrong again like with cities didn’t find any town who failed to recognize RF as agressor , and only Muscovites from Muscovy speak “russian”, derived from Ukrainian since that was coming fromOld Slavonic first…russian is youngest language, only Belarus and Ukraine share oldest history, Muscovy came later, the marshpeople…:-)
RIA Novosti in the modern Russia is like Foelkischer Beobachter in the Third Reich. Heil Poo Teen!
referendum under gunpoint, and not according international or Ukraine law? HAHHAHAHHAHHAHHAHAH btw even kremlin office noted just 15% voted FOR annexation, and thats NO majority…(in forbes)
Can you think from law size. As adults.
Militias Donbass have greater legitimacy.
Why? Continuity of power can only be legitimate. A military coup is illegal. President of Ukraine – alive. His niuto not removed from power. He is not removed from power according to Court.
Militias of Donbass have continuity of law.
But we rely on what we have. The current junta Ukraine.
Wrong, if yanakovich was removed illegally, even party Y. voted in favor of him being ousted, there would not have been so much sanctions.
Do not drink more today.
I leave drinking up to muscovites, so if you ever drank vodka you’re a muscovite
What military coup???
No. A peaceful demonstration of workers with hundreds killed by someone unknown. No one investigating this.
My point. :)
They Ukrainians have forgotten it. Spend at least or either 20 referendums, even 100 referendums. Does not matter. The Americans help by propaganda.
Only “russians” have selfmade gaps in history and in their minds, perhaps of vodka
Too much alcohol at morning?… there is help out there if you want it…
Ukraine mentioned 1187, when Moscow was marsh, name RUS belongs to Ukraine, chronicle from 15th century depicts history of Kyvian-RUS and Ukraine-Rus untill 1206 well before muscovites came out marsh, that Tsar in 1721 stole name RUS and history Ukraine is well documented. Sources on https://www.reddit.com/r/russiawarinukraine/comments/37tryg/muscovy_the_name_of_the_grand_duchy_of_moscow/ has a number who are prohibited in RF, adding to their credibility, RF blocks everything that is truth :-)
“ancient rus” is invention of Putin, you don’t find that name in old chronicles..
“Bridge over troubled waters”.
“is nowhere near complete”… . Rokot, a typical propagandist, can easily find the Crimean bridge on Google map. And I think, she will be surprised.
A link, please.
There no internets without cats. So Tatiana can’t win this infobattle
Tetiana, not Tatiana. Hipsters is so hipsters
And Kyiv not Kiev?
I’m from Russia. It was the first time I’ve seen this cat. Thank you. I find it funny.
The author distracts from false articles cats. Any intelligent person can go on Wikipedia and see the dates, price.
There are two places where a bridge over the Kerch Strait could be built; in one place, the strait is 5 km large, in the other – 33 km. The bridge is being built on the larger one. Why? Because a bigger construction work requires more money, therefore, there are more opportunities for personal enrichment (contractors receive money from the budget…and receive…and receive. “But your initial estimation was way smaller!” — “Well, you see, some unforeseen circumstances appeared…”) GV should write an article on this topic, too.