The Petrozavodsk Phenomenon

On September 20, 1977, a massive glowing object appeared over the Soviet city of Petrozavodsk, witnessed by thousands of residents. The “jellyfish” UFO, sending down shafts of light, became the most famous UFO incident in Soviet history.

The City

Petrozavodsk:

• Capital of Karelia
• Northwestern Russia
• Near Finland border
• Industrial city
• Soviet territory

The Night

September 20, 1977:

• Around 4:00 AM
• Pre-dawn darkness
• Clear sky
• City sleeping
• Then awakened

The Object

Witnesses described:

• Enormous glowing mass
• Jellyfish-like shape
• Sending down beams
• Of golden light
• Hovering over city

Mass Observation

Thousands saw:

• From apartments
• From streets
• Night workers
• Early risers
• Entire city watched

The Appearance

The phenomenon:

• Bright star initially
• Grew in size
• Spread outward
• Tentacle-like rays
• Jellyfish form

The Beams

Shafts of light:

• Descended to ground
• Penetrated buildings
• Through windows
• Golden color
• Searching pattern

Duration

The display:

• Approximately 10-12 minutes
• Extended observation
• Time to document
• Many witnesses
• Thoroughly seen

TASS Report

Soviet news agency:

• Officially reported event
• Unusual for USSR
• Acknowledged phenomenon
• National coverage
• Rare admission

Official Investigation

Soviet Academy:

• Investigated event
• Multiple theories
• No conclusion
• Eventually attributed
• To rocket launch

The Rocket Theory

Officials claimed:

• Cosmos 955 satellite
• Launched that night
• From Plesetsk
• Exhaust plume
• Atmospheric effects

Problems with Theory

But witnesses questioned:

• Shape wrong
• Duration too long
• Beams unexplained
• Behavior unusual
• Incomplete answer

The Window Damage

Some reported:

• Window glass holes
• Circular patterns
• Found after event
• Physical evidence?
• Controversial claim

Physical Effects

Claims included:

• Glass damage
• Electrical disturbance
• Plant effects
• Animal reactions
• Disputed evidence

International Interest

Despite Cold War:

• Western researchers noted
• Unusual Soviet openness
• Major UFO case
• Global significance
• Rare disclosure

Felix Zigel

Soviet UFO researcher:

• Documented case
• Collected testimonies
• Analyzed evidence
• Disputed official answer
• Important investigator

The Witnesses

Included:

• Port workers
• Dock employees
• Ship crews
• Residents
• Authorities

Dockworkers’ Account

Port witnessed:

• Object over harbor
• Beams on water
• Very close
• Spectacular display
• Multiple observers

Soviet Response

Initially open:

• Then restricted
• Information controlled
• Files classified
• Research limited
• Typical pattern

Similar Cases

Same year, 1977:

• Multiple Soviet sightings
• Other cities
• Pattern noted
• Wave activity
• Significant period

Significance

Petrozavodsk significant for:

• Mass witnesses
• Soviet documentation
• TASS report
• Official investigation
• Major Cold War case

Legacy

The Petrozavodsk phenomenon represents the Soviet Union’s most famous UFO event. The mass witnesses, official acknowledgment, and spectacular nature of the “jellyfish” object ensure its place in UFO history.