HISTORY OF UFO STATE RESEARCH IN THE USSR

This document, authored by Dr. Yulii Platov and Dr. Boris Sokolov, provides a historical overview of the state-sponsored research program into paranormal atmospheric and space phenomena in the USSR, which operated from 1978 to 1990. The authors, both of whom were deeply involved in the program, detail the organizational structure that emerged following the 'Petrozavodsk phenomenon' of September 1977. This event, a large-scale light display observed in the northwest USSR, prompted significant public interest and official concern, leading the President of the Academy of Sciences, Anatoly Aleksandrov, to petition the government for a formal investigation. The resulting program was divided into two primary tracks: 'Setka MO' under the Ministry of Defense, focused on potential military impacts and equipment interference, and 'Setka AS' under the Academy of Sciences, focused on the physical nature of the phenomena. The research was highly classified and integrated into the state defense plan. The authors explain that the program was remarkably inexpensive, relying on existing military and scientific infrastructure. Over 13 years, approximately 3,000 reports were analyzed. The authors conclude that over 90% of these sightings were identified as the byproducts of human technical activity, specifically rocket launches and high-altitude meteorological balloons. They note that the 'UFO' label was largely a misnomer for these atmospheric effects, which were often observed during twilight conditions when rocket exhaust clouds scattered sunlight. The authors explicitly state that despite the 'feverish' public interest in extraterrestrial visitations, the project found no evidence of landings, contact with pilots, or abductions. They argue that the territory of the USSR was not 'closed' to aliens, but rather that the extraterrestrial hypothesis is inconsistent with the data. The document concludes by dismissing contemporary claims of 'KGB secret files' regarding UFOs as absurd, asserting that the real value of the study lay in understanding atmospheric phenomena and protecting military operations from misidentification of technical tests.