; Phantoms and Monsters: Pulse of the Paranormal

lundi, décembre 26, 2011

20 Years Since the Fall of the USSR


How much have we learned about Soviet cryptozoology, ufology and paranormal events since the fall of the USSR? There certainly have been a high number of dubious supernatural claims from Russia, its former republics and satellite countries (as well as China) since 1991. Alien bodies, blobsquatches, CGI UFOs, etc...as well as a number of 'news agencies' willing to advance the agendas of the hoaxers and government entities. First, let's take a brief history lesson.

Twenty years ago, on December 25, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as President of the Soviet Union, declaring the office extinct and dissolving the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a massive communist empire that had existed since 1922. The USSR had been in a long economic stagnation when Gorbachev came to power in 1985. In order to bring about change, he introduced several reforms, including Perestroika and Glasnost (openness). Glasnost opened the floodgates of protest and many republics made moves toward independence, threatening the continued existence of the USSR. In August of 1991, a group of Communist Party hardliners frustrated by the separatist movement attempted to stage a coup. They quickly failed due to a massive show of civil resistance...but the already-faltering government was destabilized even further by the attempt. By December of 1991, 16 Soviet republics had declared their independence, and Gorbachev handed over power to Russian president Boris Yeltsin, ending the USSR.

Since that time, Western science has descended upon the records and files that had been kept secret for almost 70 years. In the case of cryptid research, I believe there has been some significant cooperation and discovery. Instead of posting a long list of examples, I'm going to offer several links to 'interesting' allegories from our Russian comrades.

Yeti - Ural Mountains 1959

Russian Yeti Starts War With Bears

Bigfoot Hunters Detect Signs of the Hairy Beast in Siberia

Russian Soldiers Discover Strange Creature On Sakhalin

Blood-Sucking Vampire Moth Discovered in Siberia

Russian Expedition to Find the Siberian Yeti Underway

Video: Alien Found in Russia

New Surge of Yeti Activity Reported in Siberia

Russian Naval Official Claims 'Humanoids' Observed Underwater

Alien Abduction - Dubno, Rovno Region, Ukraine - January 2008

Supposed Alien Spacecraft Fragment Revealed By Russian Ufologists

Villagers Remember Descendants of a Bigfoot

Russian Hunter Claims He Saved Bigfoot From Drowning

Chernobyl Harbinger of Catastrophe

Russian Fishermen Claim Deadly Monster Roams Western Siberian Lake

Russia’s Twilight Zone

The Voronezh Aliens

Brosnya: Russia's Lake Dwelling Dragon

Alma: Asian Wildman

What Was Seen Flying Before The Russian Rocket Crash?

Photos: Alleged 'Alien' Body / Mystery Surfaces In Russia

UFO Case Files of Russia