CIA-UAP-D001, Intelligence Information Report, USSR, 1973

[PAGE 1] DIRECTORATE OF OPERATIONS Intelligence Information Report. WARNING NOTICE: SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED. Classified by Recording Officer; exempt from General Declassification Schedule of E.O. 11652. THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. CONFIDENTIAL. REPORT NO. FIRK-311/01638-77. COUNTRY: USSR. DATE DISTR.: [redacted] December 1977-. DOI: November 1972-November 1973. SUBJECT: The Sary Shagan Weapons Testing Range. FIELD: Germany. ACQ: former Soviet citizen who [text cut off]. SOURCE: This report[...]. Summary: This report provides limited information on the Sary Shagan weapons testing range, to include facilities, work areas, security fencing, the regional headquarters (V/Ch 03080), and a warhead checkout unit (V/Ch 03142). Also included is limited information on the following: System-75 (SA-2) and System-300/Aldan (ABM-1/GALOSH) warheads; rumored laser research; and an unidentified aerial phenomenon. End of Summary. [PAGE 2] [Continuing report body, item 10]: Besides the System-75 SA-2 warheads, Site 4 also checked warheads for a missile known as the System-300 and/or Aldan. (Field Comment: Source did not know if Aldan was another name for the System-300 missile, or if they were two similar missiles.) The System-300/Aldan warheads, after being checked at Site 4, were taken elsewhere for launching. According to rumor, the missile was for anti-missile defense (protivo raketnaya oborona - PRO). (Field Comment: Source identified the System-300/Aldan missile in available reference material as the ABM-1/GALOSH.) The warhead for the System-300/Aldan missile was about two meters long and 80 to 100 centimeters in diameter, weighed approximately 400 kilograms, and contained an unrecalled number of black cassettes (45 x 12 cm) housing an unknown number of metal balls (shariki). Warheads for the System-75 (SA-2) missile had approximately 100 grey cassettes (30 x 7 cm), each holding about 200-300 metal balls no more than 1.5 cm in diameter. (Field Comment: Source had no knowledge regarding nuclear warheads; he opined that all systems could be equipped with nuclear warheads, but stated all work done by his department was basically experimental/opytnaya.) Item 13: According to hearsay, experiments involving laser weapons were being conducted at an unknown location at the range, supposedly involving powerful antennas (no further details). Item 14: 'On one evening in late summer 1973, Source observed an [continues to page 3]... [PAGE 3] ...unidentified phenomenon at Site 7. While watching a sport competition between Canada and the USSR on television, he stepped outside for some air and observed an unidentified sharp (bright) green circular object or mass in the sky. The object was situated west of the site at an angle of sighting of approximately 70 degrees. The altitude of the object was undeterminable. (Field Comment: Although there were no clouds in the sky that evening, Source believed that the green mass would have been higher than cloud level. Source could not estimate the diameter of the object.) Within 10 to 15 seconds of observation, the green circle widened and within a brief period of time several green concentric circles formed around the mass. Within minutes the coloring disappeared. There was no sound, such as an explosion, associated with the phenomenon. (Field Comment: Source had no opinion as to what this phenomenon was. There was no resultant rumors. Source could not provide any further details.)'