ANCIENT
RUSSIAN UFO MYSTERIES
Extracted from:
The Soviet UFO Files
Paranormal Encounters behind the Iron Curtain.
By Paul Stonehill
Director of the Russian Ufology Center
Unidentified Flying Objects UFOs - have been sighted over the territory we
know today as Russia since the days of antiquity. For centuries people have
seen objects in the sky that they could not identify, and many of them have
recorded sightings, which could not be explained away as meteors, planets,
stars, or weather balloons.
Some of the most interesting information concerning UFO sightings is still
locked away in the secret archives of the state. Occasionally, the guarded
vaults do open up, either by the passing of history or chance, and
information leaks out. Recently declassified documents of the Russian
Ministry of the Interior, dating back to the beginning of the 19th century,
reveal some interesting UFO sightings from the Russian Empire.
Among them is a very unusual report to the Tsar from his Third Department of
the Chancellery (the former title of the secret police). The report describes
certain extraordinary light effects observed in the sky by the inhabitants of
the city of Orenburg, and corroborated by the police and military, during the
night of December 26,1830. Other reports mention the appearance of UFOs over
Ustyug on January 30, 1844, as well as sightings from 1846 and 1847.
Secret files aside, the Russian history of UFO sightings dates back thousands
of years. In the Russian north, near the Arctic Circle, there are ancient
stone monuments that were reputedly built at the same time as Stonehenge and
the Egyptian pyramids.
Smaller in size, the spiral "labyrinths" of the White Sea are no less
enigmatic. They can be found on the Solovetski Islands, and throughout the
area known as the Tersk Shores in the southern portion of the Kola Peninsula.
One of the labyrinths lies near the ancient Umba, near the Lesnoi settlement.
UFOs have frequently been sighted over the area by the Saami hunters
(reindeer-breeders and descendants of ancient nomadic tribes). Similar
double-spiral labyrinths have been found throughout the ancient world, in
Egypt, China, and Scandinavia; even more amazing is the fact that the same
labyrinths were depicted on ancient Minoan coins! As we shall see, Russia is
very similar to that labyrinth: full of secrets, enigmas, and mysteries.
REVELATIONS FROM THE RUSSIAN CHRONICLES
In AD 904, the Russian Prince Oleg began his campaign against the Greeks. He
marched out of Kiev in the direction of Constantinople, with a huge force of
men, pushing on by horse, ship, and, apparently, "flying apparatuses." Upon
his arrival Oleg discovered that the Greeks had fortified the strait and
closed up their city. Oleg disembarked upon the shore and ordered his troops
to beach the ships.
The resultant battle with the Greeks raged for many weeks, becoming too
prolonged for Oleg's taste. In the hope of inducing a swift conclusion he
commanded his troops to make wheels, which they attached to the ships. When
the wind was favorable, they spread the sails and bore down upon the city
from the open country. According to the chronicles, the Russians launched
"horses" into the air that were well equipped and "colored golden." From
these the warriors threw fiery arrows at Constantinople.
However, to ascend into the air for the purpose of destroying a city the
Russians would have to have been in possession of a level of technology that
they definitely did not possess in AD 904. Where did the Russians borrow such
horses? Who was interested in aiding them to conquer Constantinople? The
emperors Leo and Alexander both made peace with Oleg, and after agreeing to
pay the tribute and mutually binding themselves by oath, they kissed the
cross. They invited Prince Oleg and his men to swear an oath likewise.
According to the religion of the Russians, the victors swore by their weapons
and by their deity Perun, as well by Volos, the god of cattle, and thus
confirmed the treaty. His people called Oleg "the wise." He was still a pagan
ruler, but one that apparently had powerful friends.
Another curious manuscript that reveals the existence of UFOs in ancient
Russia was discovered in Kazan University, and researched by Moscow
historian, M.D. Strunina.
The manuscript tells the story of a boy named Yasha, who, while collecting
berries one day in the forest, suddenly encountered a stranger, clad in white
clothes, next to him. The stranger introduced himself as Timofei, and placed
Yasha in a giant "copper cauldron," from where some unknown force ascended
them both to Heaven. Yasha spent three years there. Timofei taught him
different sciences, as well as "magic." Then the boy was returned to Earth,
in the same "cauldron," at the same spot in the forest. Timofei gave him two
coins as a present, one golden, the other made of silver. Researchers have
made comparisons between folk tales and contemporary knowledge.
IRN FADLAN AND THE "RIDERS IN THE SKY"
In AD 921, the Caliph of Baghdad, Al-Muktadir, sent Ibn Fadlan, an Arabian
chronicler, with an embassy to the King of the Bulgars of the Middle Volga.
Ibn Fadlan wrote an account of his journeys with the embassy. According to
this account, during the very first night spent in the palace of the Bulgar
king, Ibn Fadlan witnessed very strange celestial phenomena.
Just before sunset, the horizon became bright red, and from above came a
deafening low rumble. Ibn Fadlan raised his eyes to the sky and saw two
fiery-reddish clouds moving above him, which continued to merge and then
separate during the course of the sighting. The chronicler described
incredibly vivid human - and horse-like shapes inside the clouds. He also saw
weapons in the arms of the beings within the clouds as if they were engaged
in a battle.
The Arabs were terrified by these incredible phenomena and knelt down in
prayer, but the Bulgars explained the "riders in the sky" as Jinni (in Moslem
legends, a supernatural being who can take human or animal form and influence
human affairs); the "faithful" ones against the "unfaithful".
Were the "horses" observed by Ibn Fadlan and his companions the same ones
that came to the aid of Prince Oleg in his battle to conquer Constantinople
some 15 years before?
ROBOZERO: THE BALL OF FIRE
The Robozero sighting is the most famous UFO case in the history of ancient
Russia. Yuri Roszius and other Russian researchers of paranormal phenomena
have studied it extensively. The event occurred "in the year 171" (that is,
the year 7171 from "the creation of the world") which corresponds to the year
1663. The details of this amazing and enigmatic event have been preserved
because of the efforts of the Archeological Commission.
It published a collection of its historical acts in 1842, among which was an
authentic 17th century document signed by Ivan (Ivashko) Rzhevsky, a
"laborer," in which he bore witness to a remarkable event. According to
Rzhevsky's testimony, on August 15, 1663, between 10:00AM and noon, a "great
noise" resounded over Robozero Lake (located in the Vologda Region, about 80
miles southwest of Belozersk). From the north, out of a clear sky, appeared a
huge flaming sphere not less than 130 feet in diameter. From its fore-part
emitted two "flame" beams, about "20 sazhens ahead of it" (a sazhen is about
seven feet). From its sides poured bluish smoke. This huge ball of fire, its
height like that of a modern 15-story building, hovered over the lake. The
phenomenon was observed by a multitude of people who had gathered for mass at
the parish church, situated on the lake shore.
The "great noise" occurred just as the thanksgiving singing had begun.
Terrified by this noise, the people emerged from the church, but upon seeing
the "frightful sight" they went back into the church and "prayed to the Lord
and the Virgin Mary with tears and weeping." Shortly afterwards "the great
flame and the two smaller ones vanished," but it reappeared on two or three
more occasions, moving in a westward direction (seemingly becoming brighter
each time) before finally dimming and disappearing from view a full hour and
a half later. Peasants were sailing in a boat on the lake at the time, but
the scorching heat forced them to the bank. They saw that light from the
unknown object had penetrated the water and reached the bottom of the
lake-"about four sazhens down" (28 feet). They saw "fish fleeing from the
flame toward the shore."
Rzhevsky's story was corroborated by another eyewitness, a peasant by the
name of Levko Fedorov, and he also received written confirmation from the
local priests that "such a token was observed on that date." Only then did
Rzhevsky report the occurrence to his superiors. However, despite providing a
detailed description of the phenomenon, Rzhevsky does not offer any
subjective interpretation of it. Others have tried to interpret the Robozero
phenomenon. Russian astronomer D. Svyatski, in his book "Astronomical
Phenomena in Russian Chronicles," claims that the eyewitnesses saw pieces of
a meteorite that flew apart after an explosion - but this does not account
for the sighting of the people in the boat approaching a hovering body?
Others have tried to explain it as ball lightning-but there was no storm or
rain that day. The life span of lightning is short. Its diameter is no more
than three feet-certainly not 130 feet.
Yuri Roszius analyzed Rzhevsky's report and came up with a fresh
interpretation of the sighting. His detailed analysis included the study of
one interesting episode related by eyewitnesses. The document notes a change
in the outer appearance of the object: an increase in its brightness when it
came into view for the third time. For some reason this change preceded the
start of the object's progressive movement westward. In modern times, such an
increase in brightness could be attributed to the firing-up of cruise engines
(an increase in its thrust). Is it by chance that the object's brightness
increased before its departure?
Mankind did not possess such advanced technology then, but it is feasible
that the population of Robozero was being observed by an alien civilization.
To this day no known scientific theory has explained the phenomenon.
1028 SERPENT-LIKE SIGN
Russian researcher Valentin Krapiva has compiled a series of UFO sightings
from antiquity that appear in the Russian chronicles. In 1028 there was a
serpent-like sign in the sky, so big that it could be seen throughout the
Russian lands. It terrified the natives who fled in terror. The UFO hovered
ominously for over two days.
1111 A FIERY PILLAR
In the Russian Far Fast, an area of frequent UFO activity throughout history,
a fiery pillar appeared from the ground and rose several miles into the sky
Lightning lit all around the pillar, and it was accompanied by a thunderous
noise. The locals believed it to be a sign from God.
1317 TVER
In December 1317 a strange circular UFO plagued the city of Tver for over a
week, before eventually moving northward and out of sight. The circle, which
was bright green and emitted a pulsating red glow at its center produced
three rays: two pointed eastward, and one westward.
1319 A HEAVENLY ARC
During the course of January, at night over most areas of Russia numerous
witnesses observed "fiery pillars," similar to those sighted in 1111, that
extended from the ground toward the sky Some people also sighted a "heavenly
arc." Yet others saw horse-like flying entities, equipped with "lanterns."
1403 SUN-LIKE UFO
Three objects appeared in the sky on June 14, 1403. They were "sun-like," and
they emitted blue, green, and crimson rays. They formed a pattern that was
something "like an arc." The last object was cross-like, great in size, and
it appeared to remain, pulsating, at the heart of the moon. It hovered there
for over an hour before disappearing.
1880 ST. PETERSBURG UFO
A giant bright, spherical object flew over St. Petersburg on July 30, 1880.
The UFO was accompanied by two identical craft, only smaller in size. The
flight of the UFOs was noiseless, and they were observed over the city for
three minutes.
