Soviet Conversations on UFOs

Summary

In 1967, the CIA gathered information from conversations with Soviet scientists regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs). These documents reveal a mix of skepticism, curiosity, and official ambiguity. A Soviet radio astronomer emphatically stated he knew of no UFO sightings in the USSR, adding with a laugh that if they were seen only in the US, they must be of Soviet origin. Another scientist mentioned rumors of sightings near the Caucasus but was unaware of any official study. Despite a lack of formal interest, some scientists expressed genuine curiosity, especially those who had read Menzel's book on UFOs, though they did not fully agree with his conclusions.

Soviet scientists showed varied attitudes: while some outright rejected the idea that UFOs were real phenomena, others considered natural or even extraterrestrial explanations. An institute director acknowledged no UFO observations by his staff and no reports received, but admitted the issue remained a mystery when critical analyses like McDonald's were mentioned. Overall, the USSR had no official stance on UFOs, using Menzel's work to argue there was no real scientific problem. However, some researchers showed interest in further investigation, especially if reports were proven real and unexplainable by known phenomena.