This picture was taken in Voronezh, Russia.
When I saw this photo, I immediately thought two things. Are these people not afraid to be electrocuted? What were the local authorities thinking when they placed a utility pole in the lake?
Turned out, some of these people did ask themselves if the utility pole was connected to electricity or not. However, nobody was sure 100% and yet they still went into the water.
On top of it, the photo was taken at the height of the new virus pandemic when the lockdown strict restrictions were in force (but apparently not enforced).
The utility pole quickly became an Internet sensation.
The Voronezh municipality had to make an official announcement that the utility pole was not connected to power. However, many locals claimed it was disconnected after the fact. The red plaque reads:
“This is “The Legendary Utility Pole” according to the opinion of “a typical Voronezh resident”.
Seventeen publications in the media, 248,000 views on YouTube (more than King of Pop Kirkorov’s latest video clip), 310 comments, 179 shares
It is NOT connected to electricity.”
I flew to Voronezh for a chance to swim around the Legendary Utility Pole and my friend made a video of this brave action. We also met the very person who wrote the text for the plaque on the Legendary Utility Pole.