Some locals in Belgorod, Russia, thought these bizarre pillars of light were linked to the war with Ukraine.

Footage from October 4 shows a couple of light beams hovering above the city.

Phobos Weather Center explained that the light beam was an atmospheric optical phenomenon called a light pillar. The effect is caused by the reflection of light in tiny ice crystals in high-altitude clouds.

4 October 2022, Belgorod, Russia

This is a common atmospheric phenomenon - but it has led to rumors about the use of "the latest weapons."

Due to the fact that Belgorod is located near the border with Ukraine, speculation began to appear on social networks that this could be somehow connected with the war. In recent months, glows and flashes have been repeatedly observed over the city - basically, they were associated with the work of air defense.

The Phobos Weather Center explained that what had happened was just an ordinary atmospheric phenomenon called a halo - a secondary glow around a light source. A sun pillar is one of the most common types of halo. It is formed due to the refraction of light in ice crystals suspended in the air, and can be observed in winter damp calm weather when the Sun is at a certain angle to the horizon, or when there is a bright source of light on the earth.