Russia is red again - after a freak fall of coloured snow on the former communist country.

Northern regions of Russia's Maritime territory have been blanketed by a creamy reddish snow caused by a combination of weather patterns.

Authorities have been broadcasting non-stop weather bulletins to explain the phenomena is down to natural causes after panicked locals bombarded police and emergency services.

Meteorologists have explained sand storms from neighbouring Mongolia are to blame.

A cyclone passed over Mongolia on its way to Russia causing sand particles to be driven up into the air causing the colour of the snow to change.

Yuri Meseznikov, a local weather expert, said: "The winds of the cyclone embraced dust particles that coloured the fallouts."

The red snow comes just weeks after yellow snow, caused by pollution from an oil and gas factory, fell on Russia's Far East island of Sakhalin.

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