Did UFO 'shoot down' Russian meteorite blasting it to smithereens? Now conspiracy theorists' launch extraordinary claims after new footage emerges Theory is based on analysis of several different pieces of footage U.F.O. watchers claim object seen close by could be a U.F.O. They suggest alien 'guardian angels' blasted rock to minimise threat Reports of a surge in UFO sightings in the Urals before the strike The meteorite that crashed on Russia was hit by an unidentified flying object causing it to explode and shatter over the Urals, it has been claimed. The bizarre theory is based on analysis of blurry footage of the space rock as it streaked across morning sky above the city of Chelyabinsk. U.F.O enthusiasts insist a small 'object' can be seen colliding with the meteorite on its trajectory through the atmosphere, despite the fact there were no reports of Russia launching missiles to down the celestial intruder, they claim. E.T. to the rescue? A new picture showing the Russian meteorite and what is claimed to be a U.F.O (ringed) The watchers have seized on the unexplained images and an online debate is now underway in Russia with claims that 'we were saved by a UFO', reported the Siberian Times. The meteorite exploded in the atmosphere on 15 February with a force as great as 30 Hiroshima nuclear bombs, causing extensive damage in Chelyabinsk and injuring around 1,200 people, many from shattered glass. Alien enthusiasts have have seized on the unexplained images as evidence that 'we were saved by a UFO' Nuclear installations in the Urals remained undamaged by the fallout. 'At first, we also believed that the Chelyabinsk meteorite was just an ordinary meteorite, a cosmic body,' said Alexander Komanev, coordinator for the Russian UFO community in Yekaterinburg. But on at least three films of the space rock 'you can see how an object catches the meteorite', he said. This minuscule oblong-shaped object "flies into it - and the meteorite explodes and falls. He stressed: 'Such a number of videos, made from different angles, leads us to believe that something has blown up the meteorite...' He claimed that in the weeks before the meteorite, there was an upsurge in UFO sightings in the Urals, followed by none at all since the incident. Space rock: The 'U.F.O.' is seen close to the tail of the meteorite in another of the images Evidence? Another shot of the Russian meteorite which exploded in the atmosphere with a force as great as 30 Hiroshima bombs Proponents of the theory claim there was an upsurge in UFO sightings in the Urals, before the meteorite hit, followed by none at all since the incident Footage seen ahead of the incident two 'glowing bowls' seen flying in the sky at night over the village of Chabry. Separately in day time, similar objects were seen over Chelyabinsk, it is claimed. On both occasions they moved across the sky, disappeared, and then returned. Russia has called for major international efforts to develop the technology zap incoming space objects, but there is no suggestion any military strike was made at the meteorite on 15 February which was not spotted in advance. Divers are believed to have located several lumps of the meteorite in Lake Chebarkul in Chelyabinsk region. VIDEO Could this video prove Russian meteorite was shot down?