Newly released archive of Soviet-era documents details aerial phenomena reported as well as other close encounters
Daniel Smith Interim Head of Operations – Content Hub & GAU
13:04, 11 Feb 2026Updated 13:05, 11 Feb 2026
The UFO remained in the sky for more than an hour before vanishing
A ‘jellyfish’ UFO adorned with shifting coloured lights was spotted hovering over a Russian city for an hour before vanishing in the 1980s.
This peculiar incident is part of a newly released collection of Soviet-era documents that reveal how officials in the former USSR discreetly documented and analysed unusual sky objects, while publicly dismissing the idea of alien spacecraft as Western hogwash.
The documents, translated into English and published by journalist George Knapp, comprise around 70 pages and collate reports from the 1970s and 1980s.
Knapp states that the archive was smuggled out of Russia in the early 1990s and has only now been made widely available, providing the public with a unique insight into how Soviet institutions categorised what they termed ‘Abnormal Atmospheric Phenomena’.
One of the most intriguing entries, dated February 13, 1989, details a large aerial object seen over Nalchik, in southern Russia. Eyewitnesses described a ‘jellyfish’-like entity that reportedly lingered in the sky for over an hour before disappearing.
Other accounts include a young man witnessing luminous streaks across the sky, followed by an encounter with humanoid figures, as reported by IBT.
Jellyfish-like UFO seen above a Soviet city in the 1980s
While these reported events garnered considerable attention in Russia, the KGB’s archives do not provide categorical evidence to confirm paranormal activity.
However, the meticulously documented testimonies of ordinary people and military personnel display intriguing consistency in their accounts of observing mysterious aerial objects.
The testimonies gathered, though not yielding irrefutable proof of extraterrestrial existence, are a testament to the systematic effort invested in investigating inexplicable phenomena.
Numerous incidents suggest rational explanations, including optical illusions triggered by atmospheric conditions, defects in measuring tools, top-secret air technology, and peculiar weather phenomena.
The bulk of the information was gathered during the Cold War era – an era dominated by speculation about cutting-edge international advancements.
A particularly infamous account from 1993, disseminated by national telecasts, alleged that Russian forces had successfully destroyed an otherworldly spaceship near Siberia, bringing about a face-off between terrestrial combatants and outer-space beings.
The soldiers were turned into stone pillars, accoording to reports
Upon shooting down the extraterrestrial spacecraft, five unearthly passengers combined their bodies to form a brilliant orb that radiated an extraordinary flash, instantly solidifying 23 nearby troops into permanent sculptures.
According to the report, only two witnesses survived the incident, and the limestone debris and wreckage were subsequently taken to a secret research facility near Moscow for further examination.
At the time, US intelligence officials observed that if these claims were genuine, they would signify an extremely hazardous threat posed by advanced extraterrestrial technology.