Releases / 2 / CIA-UAP-D001

Intelligence Information Report, USSR, 1973

File

CIA-UAP-D001

Type

Document, 3 pages

Agency

CIA

Date

12/20/73

Place

USSR

Released

Release 2, May 22, 2026

Open the original on war.gov

The government's description

This document is a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) intelligence information report (IIR) that describes human intelligence gathering activities in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). This report characterizes its content as informational, not as finally evaluated intelligence. In section 14 of this document, the source describes an incident occurring in summer of 1973, where he allegedly observed an airborne, luminous, bright green, unidentified object. The source described concentric circles forming around the phenomenon over a period of several minutes, before it dissipated. The source also stated that no sound attended the observation. The source offered no opinion on the nature of the phenomenon and was unable to provide further details regarding the incident.

Approved for Release 2026
intelligence 1nrormanon Kcpon
\\'Alll',;J:-;c; F\OTICE
SENSITIVE lNT~LUC.lNC..:E SOUltCES A~D. MLl IIOJ>S 1:-.H>I.H,,
C1uuit1ad bv Recordad ••porting Officer. hentpt fu,m General Dnlouifacohor. !i1ho6'1tl• of l.O. 116l'2 f •
linpou1blw to determino dca1 ■ of ovlomolfc declouifiu,tocn.
P;.(,E
DIR!CIOUTC Of
OP!UIIONS
I u·
THIS lS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED lt-:JTHLIGENCE
CONE J DE ·tt TI AL
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
FIi<
K- 3 11 / 0 l 6 ~ ~ ·
_1, [~ Dec emhl=' r
1 00
COUNTRY • USSR
DOI
November 19;2-N6vemher 1973
su~ECT
The Sary Shagan Weapons Testing
Range
ACQ
Germany
SOURCE
FIELD NO.
former So,·iet citi:en who Hrv,·.'.
This report!
I
This report· provides limited info:rza.tion on the Sarr
shagan weapons testirtg r ge, to· in~lude facilities, ~o:rk 6:re~,.
Summary:
security fencing, the re onal headquarters (V/Ch 0.3080)_ ud ~
warhead checkout unit (V
03142). Also included ii U•i~ed
information on the followin1: System-75 [SA·2) and Syt~ea--300/
Aldan [~BP:1-1 GAL~SH] "'arheads·; rumored laser reset"rch; and iua
un1dent1f1ed aerial phenomenon.
End of SU1111Ury.
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;::>00RCES A\D ME7HODS I :,;\"OL n.r

~JRf-311/01638-77

4 •

10. Besides the Syste~-75 SA-21 warheads, Site 4 also
chec~ed the warheads fo~ a missi:e(sJ know~ as the System-300
and/or Aldan.
(Field Comment: :.ou;ce did not ~new if Aldan was
another· name for tf:e Svstem-.~a,, ,.iss.:.:r:, ::ir : f ·,:.c-y v,ere two
similar missiles.j The System-3(·0/A.lchn ,.._.r.1r;1ea.:;; :.:ifter being
checked at Site 4 were taken to ~-.it~-for laun-:hing. According
to rumor, the missile ~as for antimissile defense (nrotivo
raketna~a oborona - PRO).
(Fie}d Comment: Sour-:e 1dent1fied the
System- ~oa;Alctan m1ss1le in avafj able rererence materi?.l as the
ABM- I/GALOSH.)

li. The warhead for the Sy5tem-300/Aldan missile was about
two meters long and 80 to 100 certimeters 1n diameter. The war­
head weighed approximately 400 kilograms, and it ~ontained an
unrecalled number of black cassettes, 45 x 12 centimeters, which
housed an unknown .number of meta] balls (shariki). Warheads for
the Sys:em-75 [SA-2) missile had approximately 100 grey cassettes,
30 x 7 centimeters, each of which held about 200 to 300 meLal balls,
each no more than 1.5 centimeters in diameter.
(Field Comment:
Source had no knowledge regarding nuclear warheads. He opined
that all systems could be equipped ~ith nuclear warheads. However,
Source stated all work done by his department was basically
experimental (opytnaya) .J
• •

13.

According to hearsay, ecperiments involving laser weapons

were being conducted at an unknown location at the range. Sup­
posedly, the tests involved powe:i:--Eul antennas (no further details).
14.

On one evening in late :,ummer 1973, Source observed an

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C O !i F l B f. I< 'f I A t/WARNING NOTICE - SENS IT IVE INTELLl GENCE

SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED

FIRK-311/0lb38--7

unidentified phenomenon at Site 7. While watching a sport com­
petition between Canada and·the.U::iSR on television, he stepped
outside for some air and observed an.unidentified sharp (bright)
green circular object or ~a~s in the sky. The object was situated
\>.·est of the site at an angle· of sighting of approximately 70
degrees. The altitude of the object was undeter~inable. (Field
Comment; Although there were no clouds in the sky that even1n 6 ,
Source believed that the green mass would have been hiiher than
cloud level. Source could not estimate the diameter of the
object.) Within 10 to 15 seconds of observ~tion, the green circle
widened and w'ith'in a brief period of time several ireen concentric
circles formed around the mass. Within minutes the'coloring dis·
appeared. There was no sound, such as an explosion, associated
with the phenomenon. (Field ColllJllent: Source had no. opinion as
to what this phenomenon was. 16 n-vas no resultant rumors.
Source could not provide any further details.)

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