Botched Russian missile test blamed for Norwegian light display

The failure of a new Russian intercontinental ballistic missile during testing caused spectacular spiralling blue lights in the skies over northern Norway, analysts said.

Russia’s defence ministry said a Bulava missile was launched on Wednesday by a nuclear submarine submerged in the White Sea and its third stage suffered an unspecified failure.

Photographs and amateur video footage of the bluish-white lights have been circulating on the internet, spawning speculation of UFOs. The ministry did not confirm the lights were the result of the failed launch but military analysts said they clearly came from the Bulava explosion.