Flying Saucers Are a Myth (or maybe a Mythis)

This document is an airgram from the American Embassy in Moscow to the Department of State, dated March 22, 1968. It provides an analysis of a February 16, 1968, article published in the Soviet newspaper 'Moskovskiy Komsomolets' by Vill Lyustiberg, the Science Editor of the Novosti Press Agency. The Soviet article serves as a comprehensive debunking of the 'flying saucer' phenomenon. Lyustiberg argues that UFOs do not exist and that reports are limited to those who believe in them, while remaining unseen by professional observers like meteorologists and astronomers. The Soviet author characterizes the UFO phenomenon as a Western invention used to distract the public from economic and political issues, such as wage freezes or unpopular military actions. The airgram includes an enclosure titled 'Flying Saucers? They're a Myth,' which details various anecdotes and claims regarding UFOs, including the story of Kenneth Arnold, the death of Captain Thomas Manthell, and an alleged 'interview with a man from Venus' published in the West German magazine 'Stern.' The enclosure dismisses these stories as hoaxes, misidentifications of natural phenomena like ball lightning, or reflections of electric welding. It specifically labels American figures like Lesly and Adamski as 'outright frauds' who exploit the public for financial gain. The document concludes that the Soviet perspective views the UFO narrative as a well-camouflaged means of misinformation used by imperialist countries to divert public attention from real-world problems.