East and West
The Eastern Block aircraft tyres are usually of completely different design to those found in the west (both are usually round, but flat at the bottom). Antonovs are designed to work away from based for ages without signficant maintenance and wear through several layers of canvas is quite acceptable. Pity the Dutch investigators did not realise this when the kept on complaining abou tyre state!
Anyway, in Russia, "canvas support" is something for aircraft and politicians alike.