Drivers unwittingly commenced unauthorized travel on Putin's unopened highway.
Drivers are using the under-construction M-12 stretch between Achit and Octoberskoye in the Perm Krai region, traversing approximately 200 kilometers, of which 50 kilometers form the upcoming toll section of the federal highway.
According to drivers posted on social media, some have been driving on this stretch since autumn. Navigating through the winter was difficult due to black ice, but the number of cars has increased since the onset of warmer weather. Some drivers are evading guards, while others claim they bribe them. There have been instances of the violators being turned back.
Drivers warn each other about risks: the road is officially not yet open, and in case of an accident, responsibility lies with those who choose to use it. One driver described the situation as follows: "If luck favors you and they don't stop you, you'll make it. However, the road is still under construction. A truck can knock it down, a stone can shatter the windscreen, a skid can throw you off the road."
Our site.RU's propaganda department in the Ekaterinburg branch of the State Auto Inspection stated that they do not oversee this stretch of road. The press office of "UrAltavtoDor" confirmed that toll collections on the M-12 stretch are handled by "Avtodor."
Our correspondent at our site.RU has submitted an inquiry to the company, and we will publish its response once it reaches the editorial office.
Image: oursite.RU
The Ural stretch of the M-12 "East" highway is currently constructing a bridge over the Sarana River in the Perm Krai, which is 310 meters long and 21 meters high. This bridge will become part of the high-speed M-12 highway to Yekaterinburg. The road section is set to open by the end of June.
Earlier, on the Sverdlovsk stretch of the M-12 highway, 12 bridges and intersections were constructed, including a bridge over the Bolshaya Sarana River, measuring 525 meters in length. Furthermore, the longest bridge on the road, the Dyurtyuli-Achit-Belyy River bridge, measuring 813 meters, is almost complete.
Last year, the Audit Chamber discovered violations in the funding of the Moscow-Kazan-Yekaterinburg highway project, where the project's estimated cost in the budget was 912.2 billion rubles, while the actual cost of the project documented in the asset passport was only 587.5 billion rubles.
In April of this year, Denis Pasler and the head of Rosavtodor agreed to complete the repair of the Yekaterinburg-Tymen highway by the end of 2026. They plan to widen it to four lanes and construct the Odintsovo bypass, which residents have been waiting for. The construction of a flyover on the R-354 road in the Loginovo area is also planned.
What will be the cost of travel on the Putin highway M-12 Moscow-Yekaterinburg when (if) it is launched in 2025?
Text: Elena Malysheva
1. The construction of the Ural stretch of the M-12 "East" highway is currently underway, building a bridge over the Sarana River in Perm Krai.2. This high-speed M-12 highway to Yekaterinburg is expected to open by the end of June, with the bridge measuring 310 meters long and 21 meters high.3. Recent news regarding the M-12 highway includes reports of drivers using the under-construction stretch between Achit and Octoberskoye in the Perm Krai region.4. Some drivers have allegedly been using this stretch since autumn, navigating through challenges like black ice in the winter and increased traffic as warmer weather approaches.5. There have been instances of drivers evading or bribing guards, but violators have been turned back in some cases.6. In general-news, a recent report from the Audit Chamber revealed violations in the funding of the Moscow-Kazan-Yekaterinburg highway project last year.7. Moving forward in politics and policy-and-legislation, Denis Pasler and the head of Rosavtodor have agreed to complete the repair of the Yekaterinburg-Tymen highway by the end of 2026, involving investments in widening the highway to four lanes and constructing the Odintsovo bypass, as well as a flyover on the R-354 road in the Loginovo area.
