Archive case record

CIA-UAP-D020, Memorandum on Unconventional Aircraft Sightings, 1955

Date of account: 1955
Location: Azerbaijan
Source: uap_archive
Record updated: 2026-10-10

Record summary

This memorandum summarizes a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) debriefing of a group of four individuals who reported observing a “flying saucer” or “unconventional aircraft” in 1955. The group, which included U.S. Senator Richard Russell, a U.S. military service member, and two U.S. Government officials, reported observing a luminescent “greenish-yellow” phenomenon, as seen from aboard a train while traveling within the Soviet Union, in present-day Azerbaijan, between Baku and Tiflis (Tbilisi, Georgia). The document concludes by stating that the observation can “probably be explained as steep climbing aircraft or missiles,” and that “the evidence does not appear sufficiently firm to warrant the conclusion that the Soviets have developed […] a radically new type of aircraft.” The document “CIA-UAP-D021” contains a contemporary analysis of the incident.

Published source text

Read the available text below. Archive transcriptions may contain OCR errors; later context is labelled separately. A recorded claim is not a finding that it happened.

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R/l lfeP SE6RE=t= ,' j / ,"1 A ··~"'--..;: -- Approved for Release 2026 . ' .ti ,_/ #' 1 NOV 1955SIGNATURE RECORD AND COVER SHEET \. ,,. \t, DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION SOURCE ~St) /:s-_£ DOC. NO. ooc. DATE COPY NO. ~ (#/~ NUMBER OF PiCGES 2 NUMBER OF ATTACHMENTS 7~ \ ASTJ11~ REGISTRyt '-~j CIA CONTROL NO. / / .s-YrrS' ~-i DATE DOCUMENT RECEIVED J No ISS!'. LOGGED BY ATTENTION: This form will be placed on top of and attached to each Top Secret document received by the Central Intel• ligence Agency or classified Top Secret within the CIA and will remain attached to the document until ShCh time as j t is downgraded, destroyed, or transmitted outside of CIA. Access to Top Secret matter is limited to Top Secret Control, personnel and those individuals whose official duties relate to the matter. Top Secret Control Officers who receive and/or release the attached Top Secret material will sign this form and indicate period of custody in the 1eft•hand columns provided. Each individual who sees right•hand columns. REFERRED TO OFFICE ~5l A RECEIVED SIGNATURE ££.J.iil ?- DA TE TIME Y·~ . ·\ \v,'" l/~..>e) RELEASED DATE TIME SEEN BY SIGNATURE AND OFFICE DA TE ,··/ (~ v·)uv );-,.-< .~, - ~ tiC:11~~ i lt1 /J/ I I .tL!Wu/1t_ __~ ~ 30lfif v-- -~, - 0-~~aSJ,. "3 ~ <J.1.\.\j ~--\~- . NOTICE OF DETACHMENT: ll'hen this form is detached from Top Secret material it shall be completed in the appropriet• spaces below and transmitted to Central Top Secret Control for record. • • DESTROYEDDOWNGRADED TO BY ( Signature) DATE the Top Secret document will sign and indicate the, date of handling in the BY (Signature) WITNESSED BY (Signature) DATE DISPATCHED (OUTSIDE CIA) TO BY ( Signature) OFFICE DATE FORM NO. 26 USE PREVIOUS EDITIONS, (40)TOP SECRETI APR 55

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