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CASE FILE C-20

A U.S. Senator's Party Saw Something Rise From Soviet Ground - CIA Case C-20

2026-09-11 · Declassified UAP records
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On 4 October 1955, four Americans in Senator Russell's party were travelling by train from Baku to Tiflis in the Soviet Union. According to a TOP SECRET memorandum to the Director of Central Intelligence, they were "about ten minutes beyond Alyaty at 1910 hours when it was already dark" when the Senator, "resting alone in his compartment with the lights out," noticed "a small greenish-yellow glowing ball rising quite rapidly." A few minutes later the others "too observed another object."

The CIA debriefed all four and recorded four different descriptions. Russell saw only a luminescent ball; Mr. Efron "saw only two lights resembling eyes"; Colonel Hathaway saw "a shadowy object with a single light in the middle at the top and a rotating light or lights similar to exhausts at the base"; and Mr. Gros saw "a triangular object with three lights which appeared to be ejected from a launching site." All agreed the object was rotating or whirling as it rose, and that it left no trail.

A separate, unevaluated CIA information report from one member of the party (he is not named) describes "a huge searchlight, on the field itself," shining on "a triangular object" with "three lights on the object, one on each point," which made several fast spirals and "climbed extremely fast at about a 45 degree angle." It adds that the steward then "pulled down the blinds," and indicated that "the MVD man who had boarded the train at the moment of departure had ordered the blinds drawn."

In his memo of 31 October 1955, Herbert Scoville Jr., the CIA's Assistant Director for Scientific Intelligence, concluded that "the only testimony which would support the existence of flying saucers or radically unconventional aircraft is that of Colonel Hathaway. All other observations 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 and have in operation a radically new type of aircraft." All three CIA documents are transcribed below.

The Document

TOP SECRET (declassified; approved for release 2026) 31 October 1955 (typist line); cover sheet stamped 1 November 1955

CIA Memorandum - Sightings of Flying Saucers or Unconventional Aircraft (Senator Russell party, USSR, October 1955)

CIA-UAP-D020 - Memorandum, 31 October 1955 (T.S. 115485)

1. All four participants in the observation of the flying saucers or unconventional aircraft have [now] been debriefed and the following is a summary of their observations.

2. The party was travelling by train from Baku to Tiflis at the specific request of Senator Russell who tried to use rail transportation whenever it was at all feasible. The sightings were noted about ten minutes beyond Alyaty at 1910 hours when it was already dark. Senator Russell was resting alone in his compartment with the lights out when he noted a small greenish-yellow glowing ball rising quite rapidly. He informed the other members of the party who were occupying the other compartment and a few minutes later they too observed another object.

3. Senator Russell never saw the form of the object only the luminescent ball. Mr. Efron saw only two lights resembling eyes. Colonel Hathaway saw a shadowy object with a single light in the middle at the top and a rotating light or lights similar to exhausts at the base. Senator Russell had the impression that the object could have been as small as a rocket although there were no objects available to produce a satisfactory scale and no trail was left by the rising ball. Mr. Gros and Colonel Hathaway considered the size of the object to be comparable to that of a U. S. jet fighter. However, Colonel Hathaway believes that the object did not resemble any aircraft, rocket or missile that he had ever seen. All observers agree on the impression that the object was rotating or whirling during its rise along its initial steep trajectory. Neither Senator Russell nor Mr. Gros noted any change in this trajectory, but Colonel Hathaway and Mr. Efron stated that the object altered its pattern to horizontal flight quite sharply. Neither Senator Russell, Colonel Hathaway nor Mr. Efron saw any objects on the ground with the exception of the search light, but Mr. Gros reported the presence of a triangular object with three lights which appeared to be ejected from a launching site.

4. Based on the interviews so far, the only testimony which would support the existence of flying saucers or radically unconventional aircraft is that of Colonel Hathaway. All other observations can probably be explained as steep climbing aircraft or missiles. Further discussions will probably be required before the matter can be completely resolved. In the meantime, however, the evidence does not appear sufficiently firm to warrant the conclusion that the Soviets have developed and have in operation a radically new type of aircraft.

HERBERT SCOVILLE, JR., Assistant Director, Scientific Intelligence. OSI:HScoville:gs (31 October 1955). Distribution: Orig & 1 - fwd; 1 - DD/I; 1 - OCI; 1 - ASD/SI; 1 - GM/SI; 2 - AD/SI. T.S. 115485.

CIA-UAP-D021 - Memorandum, Flying Saucers or Unconventional Aircraft (received 18 October 1955)

1. A dispatch from Prague, C-103, dated 13 October 1955, reported the sighting of two flying saucers or disc-like unconventional aircraft. An interview with Mr. Efron, one of the four observers of these aircraft, failed to confirm in several respects the information given in the dispatch.

2. His observations were limited to sighting two lights which initially arose vertically and then approached the train and passed over head at a high altitude. He failed to observe the body of the object and had no feeling as to whether it was round, disc-like or even square. His only reason for describing an unconventional nature to the object was that it rose vertically and appeared to glide in a manner unlike any aircraft he had previously seen. However, in view of the fact that it was [dusk], that he thought the aircraft quite high (9000 feet) and that his observations were undoubtedly conditioned by Senator Russell's remarks that he had seen a flying saucer, too much confidence cannot be given to his observation. The fact that no noise was heard may also have influenced his opinion on the unconventional characteristic of the object. He also failed to confirm the excitement of the train official following the incident. It is my belief that Efron's testimony alone could not confirm the existence of any unconventional aircraft. However, he was not in a position to have as good a look as were the other members of the party. A very careful interrogation of the other members is in order.

3. Two years ago, Dr. Robertson headed a group which investigated U.S. sightings of flying saucers. This group was able to explain almost all the sightings and reached the conclusion that these phenomena represented no threat to the security of the U.S. Even if the present sightings in Russia are confirmed, it should not be assumed that these unconventional aircraft have actually been flying around the U.S. and were the source of U.S. public speculation.

4. The USAF is supporting a Project "Y" at Avro Aircraft Ltd. in Canada for the development of unconventional saucer-like aircraft. However, this development is still in the early research and development stages with three or more years being required before the production of a first prototype. If the development proves out successful, the calculations indicate that such an aircraft might have a very high ceiling (up to 1[?]0,000 feet) with speeds up to 1800 miles per hour, a range of 700 miles and rate of climb of 120,000 feet a minute. A vertical take-off characteristic would, of course, be extremely valuable. Project Y is being directed by John Frost. Mr. Frost is reported to have gotten his original idea for the flying machine from a group of Germans just after World War II. The Soviets may also have obtained information from this German group. (It is suggested that you ask General Samford to report on the progress of the Air Force project at the IAC meeting.)

HERBERT SCOVILLE, JR., Assistant Director, Scientific Intelligence. cc: DD/I. Distribution: Orig & 1 - fwd; 1 - DD/I; 2 - AD/SI; 2 - ASD/SI.

CIA-UAP-006 - Information Report, Sighting of Unconventional Aircraft (Azerbaijan SSR, 4 October 1955)

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.

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 -

Approved for release 2026. Primary document: CIA-UAP-D020, T.S. 115485, Office of Scientific Intelligence memorandum to the Director of Central Intelligence. Also transcribed below: CIA-UAP-D021 (T.S. control no. 115469, OSI memorandum received 18 Oct 1955) and CIA-UAP-006 (CIA Information Report, Sighting of Unconventional Aircraft, Azerbaijan SSR, 4 Oct 1955, distributed 15 Nov 1955). No text redactions appear in the memorandum bodies; the D021 cover sheet has white redaction boxes over signature and office entries. Words in square brackets are uncertain readings of damaged or over-inked typing. · Central Intelligence Agency - Office of Scientific Intelligence (CIA-UAP-D020, CIA-UAP-D021) and CIA Information Report (CIA-UAP-006)

Where It Happened

Full Transcript

October 1955, inside the Soviet Union. Four Americans in Senator Russell's party ride a night train from Baku to Tiflis. Ten minutes past Alyaty, at ten past seven, it is already dark.

The senator, resting alone with the lights out, sees a small greenish-yellow glowing ball rising quite rapidly. A few minutes later, the others see another object.

One of the men later described an airfield, and a huge searchlight on a triangular object with three lights, one on each point. It made several fast spirals, then climbed extremely fast at about forty five degrees.

Then the steward came in and pulled down the blinds. He indicated the M.V.D. man who had boarded at departure ordered it.

The C.I.A. debriefed all four and got four different descriptions: a glowing ball, two lights like eyes, and a shadowy object with rotating lights at its base.

The fourth saw a triangle with three lights, ejected from a launching site. The C.I.A. decided only Colonel Hathaway's account supported a flying saucer.

Everything else could probably be steep climbing aircraft or missiles, and the evidence was not firm enough to conclude the Soviets had a radically new aircraft.

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Sources

All documents and footage are authentic, public-domain U.S. government releases. Narration is AI-generated text-to-speech.