Declassified Soviet-era documents have unveiled a secret government investigation into a mysterious glowing 'jellyfish' UFO that hovered above a Russian city for more than an hour during the 1980s. The files, recently translated into English and published by journalist George Knapp, expose how officials in the former USSR systematically recorded and assessed strange aerial phenomena, even as they publicly dismissed alien visitations as Western propaganda.
Secret Soviet UFO Archives Made Public
The archive, spanning approximately 70 pages and compiled from the 1970s and 1980s, was removed from Russia in the early 1990s and has only now become widely accessible. It provides a rare glimpse into how Soviet institutions catalogued what they termed 'Abnormal Atmospheric Phenomena', with procedures for collecting testimony from civilians, soldiers, and technical specialists. While the documents do not offer conclusive proof of extraterrestrial activity, they reveal an organised effort to track cases that defied conventional explanations.
The Nalchik 'Jellyfish' Incident
One of the most striking entries, dated February 13, 1989, describes a large aerial object over Nalchik in southern Russia. Witnesses reported a jellyfish-like form adorned with shifting coloured lights that remained visible in the sky for over an hour before vanishing. Investigators meticulously noted the claims but refrained from declaring the nature of the encounter, highlighting the cautious approach taken by Soviet authorities.
Reports of Humanoid Figures and Unexplained Lights
Other accounts within the files include a young man's report of luminous streaks across the sky followed by an encounter with humanoid figures. A separate 1979 incident in Kazakhstan involved campers who claimed to see tall, dark figures near a wooded area. In both cases, recollections were consistent among witnesses, yet no physical evidence was found to substantiate the events, underscoring the enigmatic nature of these sightings.
Earth-Bound Explanations and Cold War Context
Many entries in the Soviet files propose terrestrial explanations for the sightings, such as atmospheric effects, sensor anomalies, or experimental aircraft. Some documents even consider whether certain incidents might have involved foreign technology—a significant concern during the Cold War—or rare natural phenomena. This analytical framework demonstrates the USSR's pragmatic approach to investigating unexplained events while maintaining public scepticism about extraterrestrial claims.
The Infamous 1993 Siberian UFO Case
Beyond the newly released archives, one of the most notorious Russian UFO incidents occurred in 1993, when state media reported that the military had downed an extraterrestrial craft in Siberia using a surface-to-air missile. According to accounts, five humanoid entities emerged from the wreckage and merged into a singular, glowing sphere that emitted a catastrophic burst of light, instantly transforming 23 nearby soldiers into stone pillars.
The report suggests that only two witnesses survived the event, with the resulting limestone remains and wreckage allegedly transported to a clandestine research facility near Moscow. US intelligence officials at the time noted that if these accounts were authentic, they represented a highly dangerous threat from advanced alien technology, adding a layer of international intrigue to the Soviet UFO narrative.
These revelations challenge the long-held perception that the USSR uniformly dismissed UFO phenomena, instead revealing a covert and methodical investigation into the unknown that parallels Western efforts during the same era.
