CIA report: triangular UFOs near Baku, Azerbaijan, 1955

[PAGE 1] Approved for Release 2026 Sen. Russell UFO file SEE BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL SPECIAL CONTROLS, IF ANY D327456 S-E-C-R-E-T INFORMATION REPORT PREPARED AND DISSEMINATED BY CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law. COUNTRY: USSR REPORT NO. 00-B-3022[illegible] SUBJECT: Sighting of Unconventional Aircraft DATE DISTRIBUTED: 15 NOV '55 NO. OF PAGES: 2 NO. OF ENCLS.: - SUPPLEMENT TO REPORT # PLACE ACQUIRED (By source): Azerbaijan SSR RESPONSIVE TO: OO/C-Case 19074 DATE ACQUIRED (By source): 4 Oct 55 DATE OF INFORMATION (Date or dates, on or between which, events or conditions described in report existed): 4 Oct 55 THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION SOURCE: US national, 41 years old, publicity and advertising vice president of large US corporation. His major education was in the field of political science (Phi Beta Kappa), and he has lectured extensively on current affairs. He has had no technical training or experience in aviation matters. He recently visited the USSR as a tourist at the invitation of a senior Soviet official. 1. At 1630, 4 Oct 55, I boarded a train at Baku for Tiflis in the company of three other US nationals, one of whom shared a Wagon-Lit compartment with me; the other two occupied the adjoining compartment. The train ran very slowly, making every stop; I would estimate its overall speed at 20 mph. Exactly two hours and forty minutes out of Baku, one of our group in the compartment next door entered my compartment and said, "Did you see that out there? I just saw a flying saucer." I and my compartment companion were about to laugh it off when the man from next door pointed out of the window again, and then we all saw the following sight. 2. On the lefthand side of the train, between the train and the Caspian Sea coast, was a large air field. The evening was dark but clear. A huge searchlight, on the field itself, shone on a triangular object on the ground which I would say was probably not more than two miles distant from the railroad. [Collector's comment: Source first estimated that the air field was about five miles away but, on further reflection, changed the distance to the object to two miles.] The size of the object was comparable to that of a US jet fighter, with a squat shape and in the form of an equilateral triangle. There were three lights on the object, one on each point of the triangle, presumably two wing lights and a tail light. As we watched, it was ejected from its launching site, making not less than three and not more than seven fast spirals in the air, after which it climbed extremely fast at about a 45 degree angle. We watched it climb and saw it reach a high altitude; the searchlight followed it all the way. 3. I wish to emphasize that this was no ordinary take-off but a launching procedure more like a missile ejection. Our companion from next door reported that this was the second launching in rapid succession. 4. I believe that the train at the time of the sighting was between 50 and 65 miles south of Baku. The Caspian Sea was still visible. While the four of us were still watching the object ascending, the steward came in and pulled down the blinds. When I began to protest, the steward pointed toward the rear of the car and shook his head, indicating to me that the MVD man who had boarded the train at the moment of departure had ordered the blinds drawn. S-E-C-R-E-T DISTRIBUTION: STATE, ARMY, NAVY, AIR, FBI NOFORN NO DISSEM ABROAD LIMITED LIMITED: Dissemination limited to full-time employees of CIA, AEC and FBI; and, within State and Defense, to the intelligence components, other offices producing NIS elements, and higher echelons with their immediate supporting [illegible]s. Not to be disseminated to consultants, external projects or reserve personnel on short term active duty (excepting individuals who are normally full-time employees of CIA, AEC, FBI, State or Defense) unless the written permission of the originating office has been obtained through the Assistant Director for Collection and Dissemination, CIA. [PAGE 2] S-E-C-R-E-T - 2 - 5. Our party had wished to make this part of the journey by air, but we were informed by INTOURIST in Baku that there were no flights between Baku and Tiflis. In Tiflis the INTOURIST people were surprised that our party had not flown and said that there were several flights a day. - end - B/8-02-0615 #13 11/55 451 21N 461.87 21N S-E-C-R-E-T