Notiziario UFO - 1993 11-12 - Vol 28 No 120 Supplement

Magazine Overview

This document is a special supplement to the Italian ufological publication "NOTIZIARIO UFO," titled "filodiretto," issued in November-December 1993. It serves as an informational circular from the CUN (Centro ufologico nazionale) and is designated as UFO N. 120, a supplement to volume II.21. The supplement was created to provide timely updates on UFO sightings in 1993 and to announce the upcoming 2nd International Symposium on Unidentified Flying Objects and Related Phenomena in San Marino on May 7-8, 1994.

CUN Introduction and Call to Action

The CUN leadership explains that this supplement is being sent separately due to the volume of information and the need to communicate recent developments. Subscribers in good standing with their 1993 membership fees will receive the main NOTIZIARIO UFO and subsequent materials in a separate mailing. The CUN emphasizes the importance of member support, urging those who have not renewed their 1993 fees to do so and inviting all members to renew for 1994 promptly after receiving the next issue.

UFO in the World: Russia and Israel

Russia: Declassified UFO Dossier

The lead story, sourced from "La Stampa" (February 7, 1993), reveals that Russia has begun to publicly disclose its previously top-secret UFO files following the end of communism. Mikhail Zakharchuk, director of the Ministry of Defense's information bulletin, states that a strict taboo and censorship had prevented discussion of UFOs. The bulletin, with the approval of Colonel General Vladimir Prudnikov, commander of the anti-aircraft defense, details years of secret recordings, often withheld by pilots fearing ridicule. Colonel Tomin notes that pilots rarely reported mysterious encounters in northern regions due to fear of being accused of 'mystical-religious moods.' Marina Popovich, a test pilot, asserts that ignoring UFOs is no longer possible.

The article details a directive from the anti-aircraft command that strictly prohibited firing on UFOs. This policy was reportedly implemented after an incident in Vietnam in the summer of 1965. During a night over Hanoi, a disk-shaped object appeared. After failing to respond to orders to land, Soviet anti-aircraft batteries fired rockets. The object allegedly retaliated with a 'laser-like beam' that disabled all anti-aircraft posts. A more dramatic version, reported by former Soviet official Mark Steimberg, claims the Hanoi UFO's beam caused 200 casualties. Zakharchuk could not confirm this specific detail. The defense bulletin's intent, according to Colonel Dokuchaev, is not to confirm extraterrestrial presence but to document how UFOs disrupted anti-aircraft operations. Dokuchaev also notes that some objects initially classified as UFOs were later identified as weather balloons or the U-2 spy plane shot down in 1960.

Colonel Tomin recounts a miraculous landing of a military cargo plane carrying 60 tons in a lightless airport during foggy conditions, guided by a projector. The pilots were subjected to psychiatric evaluations. Sub-colonel Dolghishev stresses the need to believe pilots, noting that Aeroflot pilots have written orders to report UFO encounters, though few confess due to career fears. Marina Popovich shares an account from 1985 where an Aeroflot plane was followed by a UFO that changed color, shape, and speed. The cockpit was hit by a luminous beam, and although the plane landed safely, the pilots fell ill a month later. Popovich intervened to have them hospitalized, but the aircraft commander died from crumbling bones, and the co-pilot became disabled.

The bulletin also reveals a failed attempt to make contact with extraterrestrials. A message received through two mediums on March 15, 1991, by then-USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev, predicted a possible landing near the Baikonur cosmodrome on June 28 at 1:10 AM Moscow time. Colonel Ivan Nazarenko confirmed that a team went to the location with helicopters and cameras but no one arrived.

Israel: UFO Landings and Filming

"Il Gazzettino" (May 19, 1993) reports that engineer David Kormits claims eight UFOs landed in Israel in March 1993. He intends to prove this with slides and films, citing silicone pieces found in the Sharon area as evidence. Kormits described one craft as 10 meters in diameter, supported by a tripod, with a being resembling a 2.5-meter-tall human in a suit. Another craft allegedly landed where a dissected rabbit was found without traces of blood.

"Il Giorno" (May 31, 1993) reports that Israeli police in Nazareth, Galilee, filmed an unidentified flying object. The film is being examined by experts. This follows previous reports by engineer David Kurnitz about repeated landings of unidentified craft.

UFOs in Italy: Various Sightings

Hanoi 1965: Attack on UFOs

A clipping from "Gazzetta di Parma" (July 31, 1993) reiterates the Hanoi 1965 incident, stating that Soviet anti-aircraft forces fired on a UFO, which then disabled their posts with a beam, causing 200 deaths according to an ex-Soviet official. The article notes that the Russian defense bulletin confirms incidents of destruction but does not attribute them to extraterrestrials.

UFOs in Russia: Photographed Disks

Another clipping from "Gazzetta di Parma" (July 31, 1993) reports that a photographer in Novgorod, Russia, accidentally captured images of UFOs invisible to the naked eye. The round objects were seen hovering for at least two hours during a ceremony.

UFO in Sicily: A Mysterious Object

"La Sicilia" (date illegible, but context suggests 1993) reports on a UFO sighting in Sicily. The object was described as a luminous, disk-shaped craft with a diameter of about 2 meters, hovering silently over a restaurant in Carignano. The witness reported seeing it for about 15 minutes before it ascended rapidly.

UFO in Valdinièvole: The "Usual" Sightings

"La Nazione" (date illegible, but context suggests 1993) discusses UFO sightings in the Valdinièvole region of Italy, noting that the area is frequently visited by extraterrestrials. Experts are skeptical, suggesting phenomena like laser beams from nearby discos or meteorites. Guido Guidotti of the Associazione astrofili Valdinievole mentions that on the night of a specific sighting, the full moon prevented telescopic observation.

UFO in Pistoia: Fireball Crash

"La Nazione" (November 26, 1993) details a mysterious incident in Pistoia where a fireball, larger than the moon, was seen crossing the sky and crashing into a forest. For four hours, intermittent lights were emitted from the impact site. Despite extensive searches by police, carabinieri, firefighters, and volunteers, no wreckage or aircraft was found. An 83-year-old mushroom hunter described it as a silver-colored fireball leaving a flashing trail.

UFO in Palermo: Disc Over the City

"Il Giornale" (October 13, 1993) reports a sighting in Palermo where a large, round, disc-shaped object, approximately ten meters in diameter, with green and red lights, was observed hovering low over the ground, appearing to land. The witnesses initially thought it might be a helicopter but realized its unusual shape and lights. The object was seen near a road division where there were no buildings, only bushes and trees.

UFO in Bivigliano (Florence): Sighting Confirmed

"UFO Express N. 102" reports a sighting in Bivigliano, near Florence, between 1:55 and 2:10 AM on November 27, 1993, based on a direct report to the CUN from witness Avv. Massimo Conti. The article notes that the 'flap' of sightings in this period (October-November) also included the detention of Fortunato Zanfretta.

UFO in Torricchio (Pistoia): Orange Light

"La Nazione" (October 29, 1993) features an account from Sergio di Vita and his daughter Mascia, who observed an orange light hovering in the sky for about a minute before disappearing. They described it as larger than a star but smaller than the moon, and not point-like. They speculated it could be a stellar phenomenon or a terrestrial light, but ruled out mountains in the area. Sergio, a radio amateur, mentioned speaking to someone who reported a similar sighting.

Other Mentions and Media

"Intruders" Film

The issue mentions the Italian release of the film "Intruders," inspired by Budd Hopkins' book, available for rental. It's described as a science fiction film for TV by Dan Curtis.

"Bagliori nel Buio" (Glow in the Dark)

This is noted as a film based on the Travis Walton case, available on Paramount Communications Company.

UFO Documentaries

Two videocassettes from Tri Star Columbia Home Video, "UFO: Dossier Europa" and "UFO: Rapimenti," are mentioned as available for purchase, along with previous releases like "Le Prove," "Segreto di Stato," and "Sono fra noi e il Contatto."

Fortunato Zanfretta

The article mentions the detention of Fortunato Zanfretta, known for alleged alien abductions, in October 1993. He confessed to stealing only three million lire, denying involvement in larger embezzlements.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of "filodiretto" are the declassification of UFO information by governments (particularly Russia), the reporting of diverse UFO sightings across different countries (Russia, Israel, Italy), and the ongoing work of the CUN in documenting and investigating these phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging the reporting of sightings while acknowledging expert skepticism and the need for scientific verification. The CUN actively promotes its role in gathering and disseminating this information, as evidenced by the call for membership renewals and the announcement of upcoming symposia.