we had same problem in my friends xt two months ago and offcource in russia.....when we noticed that failure brake saddle was allready hanging on brake line and both bolts has disappered to russian mud. after that he did not had front brake that day. after days riding in the evening in the motel we managed to find two missing bolts from motel owners old snowmobile!!!!

offtopic thing: when was that biker meeting in spb and where exactly? iam intresting to go next year.

an other offtopic thing: ukraina and crossing boarder from or to russia is not a big issue. from belarus to russia is not recomended. and my opinion is that belarus in not recomended attall.