The night sky over Kyiv was lit up by what some have speculated may have been a comet or meteor – shortly before Russia launched yet another series of drone strikes. With no official confirmation about what the object was, rumours have been spreading on social media, with numerous users sharing footage captured on Wednesday.

Anton Geraschenko, a former adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, posted a clip on X showing a brightly coloured object passing overhead. He commented: “An explosion was heard in Kyiv. Then, an air raid alarm sounded. It is reported it may have been a meteorite or a comet. No official information so far.

“Kyiv residents already have so many ideas what it might have been. Not a dull moment around here.”

Since Vladimir Putin ordered his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there have been notable reports of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) observed over Ukraine.

Researchers from the Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine utilised specialised cameras at two meteor observation stations in Kyiv and Vinarivka to monitor the skies.

Their findings, published in a preprint on arXiv, documented numerous instances of “phantom” and “cosmic” UAPs.

Phantoms are described as dark, oval-shaped objects measuring between 20 and 100 metres and moving at speeds ranging from 2 to 30 km/s.

“Cosmic” UAPs are identified as luminous entities brighter than the background sky. Such objects’ transient nature and rapid movement pose challenges for visual documentation.

The skies over Ukraine are heavily trafficked due to ongoing military operations, including aircraft, missiles, and drones.

Such a high level of activity suggests that many of the reported UAPs are likely to be unidentified military assets or phenomena resulting from the conflict.