A resident of the town of Belebei in the republic of Bashkortostan put Russia up for sale on eBay on Tuesday.
As of Tuesday evening, the post had gotten 53 bids, but it was quickly deleted by the auction website.
Accompanied by a photo of the Kremlin on a sunny summer day, the seller described the product for sale as a country "in a normal state" that was "officially used [for] 1,000 years."
The bidding price ended at $100,000.
For more geographically challenged auctioneers, the seller included a color-coded map of the country with a breakdown of the regions, and for male bidders a photo of an attractive young blond woman waving the Russian flag at a sporting event.
The final photo was of a massive tank on Red Square, presumably taken during a military parade.
In the item specifics section, which asks for measurements of the product for sale, the seller modestly listed the size type as "larger than 30 centimeters."
Oddly, the item description warned that shipping "may not be available" to the Russian Federation.
This is not the first time a country has been put up for sale on the U.S.-owned auction site, which doesn't include countries on its list of items prohibited for sale.
In 2012, a Greek citizen tried to sell his financial-stricken country and got 75 bids, Lenta.ru reported. The post was taken down by the website's administrator within a few hours, however.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.