CIA Intelligence Information Report: Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon at Sary Shagan Weapons Testing Range, USSR (1973)

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Approved for Release 2026

# Intelligence Information Report

WARNING NOTICE

SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED

Classified by Recorded Reporting Officer. Exempt from General Declassification Schedule of E.O. 11652 Ex Impossible to determine date of automatic declassification

DIRECTORATE OF OPERATIONS

THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE

CONFIDENTIAL
REPORT NO. FIX K-311/01638

REPORT NO. FIK K-311/01638
DATE DISTR. 26 December 19

DATE DISTR. 26 December 19
COUNTRY USSR
DOI November 1972-November 1973
• <empty>
SUBJECT The Sary Shagan Weapons Testing Range
ACQ Germany
FIELD NO. <empty>

ACQ Germany
FIELD NO. <empty>

SOURCE <empty> former Soviet citizen who served

This report

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.

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CONFIDENTIAL/WARNING OFFICE - SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE
SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVE
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FIRK-311/01638-77

10. Besides the System-75 SA 2] warheads, Site 4 also checked the warheads for a missile(s) known as the System-300 and/or Aldan. (Field Comment: Source did not know if Aldan was another name for the System-300 nissile, or if they were two similar missiles.) The System-300/Aldan warheads after being checked at Site 4 were taken to site 35 for launching. According to rumor, the missile was for antimissile defense (protivo raketnaya oborona - PRO). (Field Comment: Source identified the System-3007Aldan missile in available reference material as the ABM-1/GALOSH.)

# Intelligence Information Report (cont.)

li. The warhead for the Sy5tem-300/Aldan missile was about two meters long and 80 to 100 certimeters 1n diameter. The war head weighed approximately 400 kilograms, and it ~ontained an unrecalled number of black cassettes, 45 x 12 centimeters, which housed an unknown .number of meta] balls (shariki). Warheads for the Sys:em-75 [SA-2) missile had approximately 100 grey cassettes, 30 x 7 centimeters, each of which held about 200 to 300 meLal balls, each no more than 1.5 centimeters in diameter. (Field Comment: Source had no knowledge regarding nuclear warheads. He opined that all systems could be equipped ~ith nuclear warheads. However, Source stated all work done by his department was basically experimental (opytnaya).J •• •

# Intelligence Information Report (cont.)

Important considerations:
* Make sure that for all key-value pairs, you have "key:value" format. Ensure that each value is associated with the correct key.
* Make sure your reading order is correct. Sometimes, the options are numbered, and you should follow the order of the numbers instead of going horizontally.
* In general, circled options or tick marks, or x marks next to the text are checked options. Mark them with [x].
* Also, for checkbox field, we tend to do [x] $value$ and [ ] $value$, basically having the checkbox before the text. Follow this pattern when we don't have an explicit colon between the value and the checkbox in the image.
* We also tend to add a newline between checkbox fields that are grouped together on the same row. So instead of having '[ ] $value 1$ [x] $value 2$', we will have '[ ] $value 1$
[x] $value 2$'.
* Your performance on checkboxes should be perfect. Take time to double check yourself.
* Do not output Markdown formatting. Always output things in key-value format. So for columns, you will have
$Row 1 Name$:
$Column 1$: $Value 1$
$Column 2$: $Value 2$
$Row 2$:
$Column 1$: $Value 1$
$Column 2$: $Value 2$
* Do not output HTML formatting, let's remain with text.
* Do not maintain extra spaces to be faithful to the image. Instead, add a newline.
* Do not drop any information, especially headers or text hanging around.
* Conversely, do not create any new keys that are not present in the image. Even if you understand the context, do not create the keys, just write the values as they are.
* Do not fix typos or grammatical errors. Just write the text as it is.
* You should use Latex formatting for mathematical symbols.

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# CONFIDENTIA L/WARNING NOTICE - SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE

# SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED

- 5-

# SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED (cont.)

FIRK-311/01638-7
<empty>

unidentified phenomenon at Site 7. While watching a sport com- petition 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 brief period of time several green concentric circles formed around the mass. Within minutes the coloring dis- appeared. 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.)

# SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED (cont.)

Important considerations:
* Make sure that for all key-value pairs, you have "key:value" format. Ensure that each value is associated with the correct key.
* Make sure your reading order is correct. Sometimes, the options are numbered, and you should follow the order of the numbers instead of going horizontally.
* In general, circled options or tick marks, or x marks next to the text are checked options. Mark them with [x].
* Also, for checkbox field, we tend to do [x] $value$ and [ ] $value$, basically having the checkbox before the text. Follow this pattern when we don't have an explicit colon between the value and the checkbox in the image.
* We also tend to add a newline between checkbox fields that are grouped together on the same row. So instead of having '[ ] $value 1$ [x] $value 2$', we will have '[ ] $value 1$
[x] $value 2$'.
* Your performance on checkboxes should be perfect. Take time to double check yourself.
* Do not output Markdown formatting. Always output things in key-value format. So for columns, you will have
$Row 1 Name$:
$Column 1$: $Value 1$
$Column 2$: $Value 2$
$Row 2$:
$Column 1$: $Value 1$
$Column 2$: $Value 2$
* Do not output HTML formatting, let's remain with text.
* Do not maintain extra spaces to be faithful to the image. Instead, add a newline.
* Do not drop any information, especially headers or text hanging around.
* Conversely, do not create any new keys that are not present in the image. Even if you understand the context, do not create the keys, just write the values as they are.
* Do not fix typos or grammatical errors. Just write the text as it is.
* You should use Latex formatting for mathematical symbols.

# SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED (cont.)