Russian Ministry of Defense categorically denied any Russian aircraft were involved; cable authors assessed Russian denials as likely false, motivated by political and military pressure on Georgia.
Official Description
On October 28-29, there was an incident alleged by the Georgian Foreign Ministry that Russian aircraft had violated Georgian airspace and bombed areas of the Kodori Gorge. Russians denied any of the claims and said that it could have been UFOs. Cable authors note that Russians typically engage in the “bold lie” when they wish to conceal actions.
UAP Insight Analysis— AI generated, not official
This is a CONFIDENTIAL State Department diplomatic cable from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow dated October 30, 2001, reporting on meetings between Ambassador Vershbow and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mamedov, and separately with MFA Georgia Desk Chief Tereoken, regarding Georgian accusations that Russian aircraft violated Georgian airspace and bombed the Kodori Gorge on October 28-29, 2001. The term 'UFO' appears only as a dismissive rhetorical device used by Russian official Tereoken to characterize unverified reports of aircraft in the region, not as a reference to any anomalous aerial phenomenon. The cable's authors conclude that Russian denials are likely a 'bold lie' to conceal deliberate military pressure on Georgia and Chechen groups.
Key Findings
→Russian MFA official Tereoken stated that reports of planes over the Kodori Gorge on October 28-29 'might as well have been about UFOs,' using the term dismissively to deflect Georgian accusations of airspace violations.
→Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mamedov, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense, categorically denied that any Russian planes flew over or bombed positions in the Kodori Gorge on October 28-29.
→Tereoken acknowledged credible reports of Abkhaz helicopters bombing areas 'where the terrorists were' but denied any Russian aircraft involvement.
→The cable's author (Ambassador Vershbow) assessed that official Russian denials reflect 'a traditional Russian penchant to avoid an awkward admission with a bold lie.'
One trainload of Russian military equipment had departed Gudauta base and entered Russia on October 29, with two more trains loaded and awaiting Abkhaz permission to withdraw.
Evidence Types
Testimony
Analyst Notes
The word 'UFO' in this document is used purely as a diplomatic rhetorical deflection by a Russian official, not as a genuine report of an unidentified aerial phenomenon. There is no UAP incident described; the document concerns alleged Russian military airspace violations and political maneuvering around Georgia and Abkhazia. This document has no substantive UAP content despite its title referencing UFOs.