Veronika Bobrus, a 26-year-old florist, became an overnight celebrity in Omsk, southern Siberia, after a dashcam video of her filling a pothole at night was posted online. It earned her the nickname “the road fairy” in the Russian media, and the reputation among local motorists of a lone crusader against government inaction.

“I got fed up with the state of our roads,” Miss Bobrus tells the BBC. “I keep hitting potholes, so I thought I’d just go and fill them.” So far, she says, she has repaired five potholes using concrete and gravel.

Her actions have generated a lively discussion on online motoring forums in Omsk. Most are full of praise for Miss Bobrus, but some also wonder whether she should be the one doing the work. “The girl did the right thing, but shame on the government,” says one comment on the VK social networking site. Another user has a suggestion: “Give the mayor a bucket and a spade, let him repair the roads.”

Omsk mayor Vyacheslav Dvorakovskiy, however, warns that unauthorised pothole repairs can make road safety worse. “If this kind of job is done using unknown materials and unknown skills, it can actually be a disservice,” he’s quoted as saying on the Super Omsk news website. “The best thing to do is report any defects in the road surface to us, and we’ll do our best to repair them as soon as possible.”

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