CHELYABINSK, February 16 (RIA Novosti) – Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region Mikhail Yurevich on Saturday dismissed rumors that locals had broken windows themselves in the hope of getting meteorite-related insurance.
“It is not true – nothing like that happened. That information is a journalistic spoof. No one broke any glass on purpose” Governor Yurevich said.
A law enforcement source told RIA Novosti on Friday that several instances had come to light of people in the Chelyabinsk Region breaking their windows with a view to claiming compensation for damage caused by the meteorite’s powerful shockwave.
Similar stories circulated widely in the Russian media after a meteorite slammed into central Russia on Friday, injuring over 1,000 people and causing damages estimated by local officials at over 1 billion rubles (over $33 million).
On Saturday the regional emergencies ministry said that over 4,000 buildings, mostly apartment buildings, had been damaged in the incident and 200,000 square kilometers of glass was broken.
