A giant puddle in Russia’s Far East city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is being described as “invincible”, after it somehow survived unfixed for over a quarter of a century. It now has its own Instagram page and over 16,000 followers.

As it often happens in Russia and other eastern European countries, what started out as a small pothole gradually grew to become a giant puddle. It attained that rank in 1994, and locals have been trying to get local authorities to fix it ever since. So far it has proven a futile endeavor, as scheduled repairs have been postponed repeatedly. In the meantime, a frustrated local known only as Nikolay decided that the 25-year-old pothole was old enough to have its own Instagram page, and created one for it in September. The witty sarcastic posts created in first-person quickly went viral and got the local government to act.

Photo: Instagram

“Hi, everyone! I’m the puddle near Tikhookeanskaya Street 10, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. I’ve just turned 25, it’s time to conquer Instagram like a grownup! :)” the puddle’s first Instagram post read. It was a good start, but only the first in a series of hilarious posts that would take the social network and local authorities by storm.

In only four days since its creation, the famous puddle’s page received over 3,000 visitors, and after about a week, it had gotten so much attention online and even in Russian mainstream media that authorities in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk had no choice but to do something about it.

Interestingly, after local appealed to local government to fix the giant puddle in 2014, work was postponed to 2017, and then to 2024, so the intervention was clearly as sign of desperation. But instead of just covering it up for good, they opted for a temporary fix instead.

“Looks an awful lot like dry mud that’s been worked with heavy construction equipment,” the puddle commented on its Instagram page, adding that “we’ll see each other again during the next rainstorm”.

The puddle’s prediction was correct, and the next serious rainfall was enough to bring the puddle back to life, bigger than ever and eager to announce its return on social media.

“What’s up! Missed me? I missed all of you, too,” the puddle wrote on Instagram. “So much, that even that weird blanky they tried to cover me with couldn’t hold me back. Today is a wonderful rainy day, so, if anyone wants to come say ‘Hi’, I’ll gladly welcome them! We’ll have fun, there’s enough of me for selfies with everyone!”

By the end of October, the 25-year-old puddle of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk had become a social media sensation, with Russian YouTubers and influencers making the trip to the Far East city to have their pictures taken with it, or use it as a backdrop for sketches.

The puddle became so popular that at one point it started plugging (sic) “sister puddles” from Russia and Ukraine on its Instagram page. One of these puddles became the scene of a viral photoshoot, with two models posing with paddleboards in it.

In November, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk authorities took another crack at the pesky puddle, draining it and once again filling it with the same “dry mud”. Then temperatures started dropping and that helped keep it in hibernation, at least until spring. But word around the city is that permanent repairs that been delayed to 2024 were scheduled for next year, to save officials further embarrassment.

Fans of the 25-year-old puddle will be happy to know that the puddle will most likely survive 2021 as well. Earlier this month, the puddle took to  Instagram to thank Sergei Vyacheslavovich Dmitriev, the head of the city Duma of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk for not including it on the list of major repairs for the next year.

“My dear friends, if, like me, you are overwhelmed with great joy in connection with this news, then you should not restrain yourself,” the puddle posted. “You can personally express your gratitude to Sergei Dmitriev for such concern about preserving me in my current state.”

The story of Russia’s 25-year-old puddle continues. At this rate, it may well become the oldest puddle in history.

This isn’t the first time that a Russian puddle goes viral on social media. Back in 2017, fashion blogger Anna Moskvicheva put on a Baywatch-style swimsuit and a giant inflatable flamingo and did a photoshoot in her home city of Saratov.