Imagine a world where the mighty Soviet Union, while publicly scoffing at UFOs as Western propaganda, was secretly engrossed in investigating thousands of alleged extraterrestrial encounters. That world has just been unveiled, thanks to a remarkable scoop from legendary reporter George Knapp! Thirty years ago, after the USSR collapsed, Knapp bravely smuggled a cache of top-secret UFO documents out of Russia, right under the nose of the former KGB. On January 16th, he finally released them to the public, offering an unprecedented look into a long-held secret.
These newly translated files expose the astonishing depth of Soviet and post-Soviet Russian interest in the UFO phenomenon. Despite an official stance since 1953 that dismissed UFOs as “American imperialist” fabrications, the communist government secretly commissioned extensive studies. Programs like “Network-AN” (1979), “Galaxy-MD” (1981-1985), and “Pluton 7” (1989-1990) were dedicated to probing these baffling reports, indicating a profound and sustained effort behind the iron curtain.
The documents reveal a significant surge in UFO sightings and interactions across Russia after 1978. What’s even more compelling is that they include numerous detailed narratives from purported abductees and witnesses – stories the government deemed credible enough to warrant serious, continued investigation. While the papers don’t offer a definitive conclusion on the nature of UFOs, they consistently stress that the phenomenon required extensive further study.
As investigative journalist Jeremy Corbell, Knapp’s podcast partner, remarked, this courageous release dramatically expands our public record. It shows not only how seriously Russia confronted the UFO enigma but also highlights the global, enduring mystery of unidentified aerial phenomena. It’s a captivating glimpse into a hidden history, proving that even superpower rivals shared a deep, secret curiosity about what lies beyond our known world.
