Mystery object dazzles in the sky over Siberia

It began with a bright flash around 10pm on 11 November and was seen over a wide area of this region. One eyewitness spoke of a 'large luminous ball' which 'dragged a plume of bright green light'.

There were three flashes, leading some to believe they were seeing a rocket and others to say it was a meteor exploding as it flew through the atmosphere. Some accounts say it fell to earth. The spectacular sight was caught on a short video. 

An eyewitness in the village of Olovyannaya, 200 km south east of the city of Chita, said: 'At first we thought it was a military exercise, but we did not hear the characteristic rumble. Normally, we hear the training very well in the village. Maybe it was a meteor.'

Another, Andrey Chepkasov, said: 'I went to the gas station, and suddenly right before my eyes there was this bright flash. I was even a little blinded. I almost lost control. A large luminous ball dragged a plume of bright green light.'

The Russian military firmly denied any involvement. Ilya Metelkin, spokesman for the 29th Army HQ, said: 'I can say definitely that the celestial object has no relation to military actions on the territory of Trans-Baikal region. More likely - it is a natural phenomenon.' 

An officer in the military unit of Olovyannikovsky district said: 'I can say with confidence that this was not because of the military. Currently, there are no exercises in our area.' 

Claims the UFO landed on a house causing it to go up in flames were denied. Associate geography professor Valeriy Kulakov concluded the phenomenon was 'something to do with the military'.