The sky over Kyiv is teeming with unidentified flying objects (UFOs), according to a new report from the Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
Of course, given that Russia and Ukraine have been involved in a months-long war that relies heavily on aircraft and drones, it is likely that many of these so-called UFOs are military tools that seem too fleeting to be identified. suggested.
Published in the arXiv preprint database (will open in a new tab), the report, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, describes recent steps taken by Ukrainian astronomers to observe fast-moving, subtle objects in the daytime sky over Kyiv and surrounding villages. Using specially calibrated cameras at two weather stations in Kyiv and Vinarevka, a village about 75 miles (120 km) to the south, astronomers observed dozens of objects “that cannot be scientifically identified as known natural phenomena,” the report says.
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Government agencies commonly refer to such objects as UAP, which stands for “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena”.
“We are observing a significant number of objects whose nature is unclear,” the team wrote. “We see them everywhere.”
The researchers divided their UAP sightings into two categories: “space” and “phantoms”. Spaces are luminous objects that are brighter than the background sky, according to the report. These objects are labeled with bird names such as “swift”, “falcon” and “eagle” and have been observed both alone and in “squadrons,” the team writes.
The team added that the phantoms are dark objects, usually appearing “completely black”, as if absorbing all the light falling on them. Comparing observations from the two participating observatories, the researchers calculated that the phantoms are 10 to 40 feet (3 to 12 meters) wide and can travel at speeds up to 33,000 miles per hour (53,000 km/h). In comparison, according to the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation, an ICBM can reach speeds of up to 15,000 miles per hour (24,000 km/h). (will open in a new tab).
The researchers did not assume that these could be for UFOs. Rather, their article focuses on the methods and calculations used to detect objects. However, according to a 2021 report by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), it is likely that at least some UAPs are “technology deployed by China, Russia, another country, or a non-governmental organization.”
Given the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, there is reason to suspect that some of the UAPs described in the new report may be linked to foreign surveillance or military technology.
According to the ODNI report, other possible explanations for UAP include “airborne interference” such as birds and balloons; atmospheric phenomena such as ice crystals; or secret government projects. Neither American nor Ukrainian reports speak of the possibility of aliens.
The US government has openly renewed its interest in UAP investigations since 2017, when several videos filmed by US Navy aircraft (will open in a new tab) leaked to the media. The infamous videos showed an unidentified aircraft moving in seemingly impossible ways without any explanation.
The government subsequently declassified the footage and recently revealed that additional military footage of UAP clashes exists, although the Department of Defense (DOD) will not release it due to “national security concerns”. (will open in a new tab)Earlier this year, Congress approved funding from the US Department of Defense to open a new office solely dedicated to handling reports of UFO sightings. (will open in a new tab) by the American military. The authors of the new UAP report from Ukraine added that the country’s National Academy of Sciences is interested in contributing to this ongoing research.
Originally published on Live Science.