Report on Conversations With Soviet Scientists on Subject of Unidentified Flying Objects in the USSR

This Central Intelligence Agency information report, dated August 18, 1967, details conversations held with various Soviet scientists regarding the subject of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) within the USSR. The report indicates that there is a general lack of official interest in the UFO phenomenon among the Soviet scientific community. Soviet newspapers do not publish reports of sightings, as they are not considered scientific observations. Several scientists mentioned having read Menzel's book on the subject, though they did not necessarily accept his conclusions. One astronomer noted that while there is no official study of the phenomenon, some sightings have occurred, such as reports of ball lightning in Kazakhstan, which were later identified as reflections of automobile headlights. The report highlights that Soviet scientists are aware of US research, including the work of McDonald, and that some interest was kindled by such studies. However, the prevailing sentiment is that there is no official sanction for UFO research in the USSR. Furthermore, the report suggests that Soviet scientists are influenced by the official ridicule associated with UFOs in the United States, which contributes to their skepticism or lack of engagement with the topic.