Dashcam captures 'yeti' crossing road in the snowy Russian wilderness

Why did the yeti cross the road?

No, it's not an opening for a joke - this is a serious question.

It comes after a group of friends travelling through Russia's Republic of Bashkortosta reportedly filmed a yeti running across the road in the snow.

Dashcam footage shows a hairy, two-legged figure scampering from one side of the road to the other and it has Russians convinced it was the abominable snowman.

Apparently it's not the first report of a yeti sighting in the area.

But there also other theories about what the creature could be.

There are myths in this particular region about a shurale, a tall hairy creature that tickles his victims to death.

The long-fingered forest demon is generally depicted as white and hairy, but it can also change its shape to take the form of a typical peasant – only detectable because it has its shoes on backwards.

Vadim Gilmanov, who was driving the vehicle, admits it could have been a prank, however, he didn't seem too convinced.

"...who else could dash out so quickly in the middle of the night … in the middle of nowhere," he said.

What's more likely – catching a mythical, hairy snow demon on his evening powerwalk or a very dedicated prankster braving the cold to trick a few mountain climbers?

That's a question you have to answer for yourself.