UPDATE: 1200+ Injured, Major Havoc Wreaked as Meteorite Detonates Over Russian Urals (Video)

Some pretty serious damage was delivered upon six Russian towns -and hundreds injured- when a hefty meteorite streaked across the sky, approached the Earth's surface in Chelyabisk Oblast (region) of the southern Ural Mountains near the border with Kazakhstan, then exploded early this morning, cca 9:30-10AM local time...

Fragments fell and windows shattered as many reportedly freaked out, fearing some UFO apocalypse was unfolding before their eyes. The malicious space rock was part of a larger meteor shower over Russia, yet in a league all by itself: at least one large explosion was heard that created a massive shockwave, shaking buildings throughout the area. The worst physical damage occurred to a zinc factory, with was hit by more than one fragment and had an outside wall collapse.

Zinc factory hit by meteorite fragments

Hospitals in the sparsely populated region were reportedly packed with over 400 people seeking treatment, though thankfully no fatalities have been reported from this most extraordinary event. The majority suffered cuts and concussions, but those who lost all their windows are said to be scrambling for materials to cover-up with, as the temperature's in the 20s F.  Russian meteor explosion

From the video (below) one can see the meteorite coming apart at the last moments -and only small-moderate fragments hitting the ground. But while some news agencies are simply reporting that a meteorite had hit, exploded, or disintegrated, unconfirmed reports from military sources out of Russia have the Russian air defenses hitting it with a missile salvo....

RT:

According to unconfirmed reports, the meteorite was intercepted by an air defense unit at the Urzhumka settlement near Chelyabinsk. 

A missile salvo blew the meteorite to pieces at an altitude of 20 kilometers, local newspaper Znak reports quoting a source in the military. Regnum news agency quoted a military source who claimed that the vapor condensation trail of the meteorite speaks to the fact that the meteorite was intercepted by air defenses...

Meteorite debris landfall map at Pundit Press

UPDATE: Russia denies shooting down meteor...

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