Documents / FOIA release
This Central Intelligence Agency information report, dated 9 August 1955, describes three flying objects seen one August 1953 evening over a camp about 10 km southwest of Shakhty in the USSR. The objects moved from southeast to northwest without sound, glowing reddish like a comet or shooting star. Observers believed they were rockets. Field comments note that earlier Shakhty reports described loud noises and suggest the objects were propelled by a ramjet or rocket engine.
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CLASSIFICATION COUNTRY USA TOPIC Flying Objects Observed in the Sanity Area EVALUATION PLACE OBTAINED DATE OF CONTENT August 1953 DATE OBTAINED late September 1954 DATE PREPARED: 23 November 1954 REFERENCES PAGES 2 ENCLOSURES (no. 4110) one sheet on 4110 REMARKS --- ## SOURCE 1. On a warm, starry and sootlit evening in August 1953, three flying objects were observed moving over Ayuta F4 camp which was 10 km southwest of the southern perimeter of Shakhty, about 600 meters west of the Hostov-Novosakhhtinak highway, about 2 km southeast of the Ayuta mines and about 3.5 km east of Ayuta. The first flying object was observed at about 2145, the second at about 2245, and a third one was observed by fellow F4 at about 2345. The objects moved from southeast to northwest, at a deviation of 70 to 75 degrees from the vertical line, and crossed approximately north of the camp. The fiery glum accompanying the object disappeared over the partially lighted installations of the Ayuta mines. While moving over the camp, the course of the object deviated from the vertical line by about 70 degrees to the north. The flight altitude could not be estimated. No sound was heard while the objects were overhead. 2. The speed of the phenomena could not be compared with that of aircraft or Soviet jet fighters. The first object was observed departing toward the Ayuta mines for 3 or 4 seconds. The second body was seen for 6 or 7 seconds after passing the camp. It also disappeared in the direction of the Ayuta mines. No statements could be made about the third object. The two objects observed had a flery gleam in a reddish color which was similar to that of planet hers. It looked like a comet or shooting star. The approach of the phenomenon was not observed. 3 On the day following the evening of observation, the individual I was differed considerably in their opinions about the phenomena. I immediately after the observations, source and sub-source believed that the objects observed were rockets, similar to 7 weapons. After the objects had disappeared, no detonations were heard. Field Content. For location of Ayuta F7 camp, see Annex.
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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 4 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.