Russians launch giant Soyuz spacecraft over World Cup city

Baffled locals who witnessed a UFO hovering above a Russian World Cup venue were convinced it was something extraterrestrial.

A bright rocket trail bursting into a stingray shape lit up the sky over the Nizhny Novgorod venue where England are set play on June 24, the Daily Mail reports.  

A number of people suggest that an extraterrestrial phenomenon could have been flying over Russia.

However , according to Russian space officials, there was a much more plausible explanation for what the object could be.

The eerie light show coincided with a Soyuz-2.1.B launch from Plesetsk cosmodrome in the country’s sub-Arctic Arkhangelsk region.

The rocket with a Glonass-M satellite was at 12.45pm Moscow time on Sunday, June 17 which is Russia’s own global satellite navigation system.

The satellite was safely delivered to target orbit by a Fregat upper stage rocket, said military officials. 

A woman from Kirov uploaded a short video of the rocket flight.

Alongside the clip, the woman posted: 'What the hell was that? 

"It doesn't look like anything I've previously seen."

And others believed aliens could be flying over the city.

One said: “The aliens have arrived for the World Cup,” said one.

“Is that a rocket, a fireball or a UFO over Nizhny Novgorod? Talk to me comrades, I'm worried!” posted Andrey. 

Another commented: “I've seen alien life and it looks like a stingray.”

Others observed that as the aircraft developed, it morphed into a jellyfish in the night sky.