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

This intelligence report, dated August 13, 1967, details the findings of a US scientist who spent one month in the USSR visiting various scientific institutions. The primary purpose of the trip was to engage in planetary research, with inquiries regarding Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) serving as a minor secondary objective. During the visit, the scientist consulted with several Soviet experts to gauge their perspectives on the phenomenon. At the Sternberg Institute in Moscow, the scientist met with V.I. Moroz, who remained noncommittal on the subject. Moroz, a radio astronomer, stated that he was unaware of any UFO sightings in the USSR and remarked that such phenomena were only reported in the United States. At the Pulkovo Observatory in Leningrad, another source indicated they had heard of sightings of unidentified objects near the Caucasus but remained open-minded about the topic. The most significant interaction occurred with N.A. Kozyrev, who expressed a keen interest in the subject. Kozyrev acknowledged that while UFO sightings were reported in Soviet newspapers, they were not treated as scientific observations. He noted that the Soviet press was interested in printing sensationalist hypotheses. Kozyrev personally held the opinion that UFOs might originate from Venus and expressed concern regarding the negative impact of 'enlightened' scientific opinion on the interpretation of questionable observations.