Bright flash over Kyiv caused by satellite fall

Preliminary reports indicate that a bright flash that Kyiv residents spotted  in the skies over the city on the evening of 19 April  is the result of a NASA satellite falling to Earth. 

Source: Kyiv City Military Administration on Telegram, Ukrainian Air Force Command on Facebook

Quote from Serhiy Popko, Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration: "Around 22:00 on 19 April, a bright flash of an aerial object was observed in the skies over Kyiv. Preliminary reports indicate that  this is a result of a NASA satellite falling to Earth."

Столичні жителі ще до оголошення повітряної тривоги бачили у небі яскравий спалах. Що саме це було, наразі невідомо. Відео спалаху опублікували низка Telegram-каналів pic.twitter.com/8CDePBr8vm

— Українська правда ✌️ (@ukrpravda_news) April 19, 2023

Details: Popko added that the air-raid warning was issued to avoid casualties from falling debris.

He emphasised that air defence was not deployed in the capital.

Later, the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has reported that the flashes over the city of Kyiv, that occurred at around 22:30, are preliminary reported to be associated with  the fall of a satellite or meteorite. This information is being ascertained. 

Quote from the Air Force: "Currently, there is no threat of the enemy  air attack in this area. Air defence is on the alert!"

Background:

• On the evening of 19 April, an air-raid warning was issued in the east of Ukraine, as well as in Kyiv Oblast, and an aerial target was reported to have been spotted in the skies over Kyiv Oblast.
• Residents of the capital reported seeing a bright flash in the sky.
• Earlier, Space.com reported that a malfunctioning NASA satellite would crash to Earth on 19-20 April.
• NASA’s RHESSI satellite, which had studied the Sun from 2002 until its decommissioning in 2018, was expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere around 01:30 GMT on 20 April. RHESSI is not a huge satellite. It weighs only 270 kilograms. It was noted that the majority of this mass would be converted to ash and vapour during the fall.

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