Transcript of Interview with Major General Yuriy Grigoryevich Gusev on 'Utro' Program

This document is a transcript of a live interview conducted on October 1, 1992, by Mikhail Solntsev for the 'Utro' program on Moscow Central Television. The guest is Major General Yuriy Grigoryevich Gusev, the deputy commander of the Russian Ministry of Defense Space Units. The discussion primarily focuses on the nature of Russian space units, their infrastructure, and the evolving relationship between military and civilian space programs following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Gusev explains that space units are responsible for ground infrastructure, including launch sites and control centers, and that the military-to-civilian ratio of space activity is shifting toward civilian interests. The conversation touches upon international competition, specifically regarding intelligence satellites and the capabilities of NATO versus Russia. Gusev discusses the history of the Soviet space program, noting the 35th anniversary of the first artificial satellite launch. Toward the end of the interview, Solntsev asks Gusev if he believes in the existence of UFOs. Gusev explicitly states that he does not believe in the existence of UFOs as 'mysterious apparatus' piloted by humanoids. However, he acknowledges having witnessed 'unidentified phenomena' during aircraft flights, which he describes as a 'ray of light' that performed specific movements in the air, the origin of which remains a mystery to him.