SPACE FORCES CHIEF ON FUNDING, BAYKONUR

• Document Type: FOIA
• Keywords: UFO SPECIAL COLLECTION
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005516639
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2011
• Case Number: F-2010-00651
• Publication Date: April 1, 1993

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Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Status: [STAT]
Document Date: 01 Apr 93 Category: [CAT]
Report Type: JPRS report Report Date:
Report Number: JPRS-UMA-93-014 UDC Number:
Author(s): D. Makarov; place and date not given: "Space and the
UFO"]
Headline: Space Forces Chief on Funding, Baykonur
Source Line: 934KO975A Moscow ARGUMENTY I FAKTY in Russian No 16,
Apr 93 p 5
Subsiug: [Interview with V. Ivanov, Military Space Force commander,
by D. Makarov; place and date not given: "Space and the
UFO"')
FULL TBXT OF ARTICLE:
1. [Interview with V. Ivanov, Military Space Force commander, by D.
Makarov; place and date not given: "Space and the UFO* fl
2. [Text]
3. [Makarov] All our lives we have been accustomed to taking pride
in-our^achievemeus iir space: Wit has beer lnstille~ in us that-_ve-are
the best in the world. Nov we have lost almost all our illusions from
the Soviet period. Well, is at least this illusion really true?
4. [Ivanov] In general I have never said that we were the best in
the world. We simply did our work, but the fact that in terms of a
number of systems we are indeed ahead of the Americans has always
been apparent both to them and to us.
5. [Makarov] How did the collapse of the USSR affect the Military
Space Forces?
6. [Ivanov] In the past our units were distributed through what are
now five states: Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and
Belarus. Space forces subdivisions are now located only in Russia and
Kazakhstan. We used to have an arsenal in Belarus but we turned it
over to the Belarusians and left there. In Uzbekistan we had a high
mountain command-measurement complex.
7. At first the Uzbek government stated that it had no claims to
this arsenal, that it would remain in the Military Space Forces of
Russia, but then it decided differently. Now almost all the Russian
officers have left there. At the present time, however, we are
developing a document concerning the creation of a Russian-Uzbek
23
UNCLASSIFIED Approved for Release
f0
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Scientific Space Center, and the Ministry of Defense of Russia, if we
can reach an agreement, will cooperate with this center on a
contractual basis.
8. [Makarov] What about Ukraine?
9. [Ivanov] Three of our command-measurement complexes-Yevpatoriya,
Simferopol, and Dunayevtsy- have been transferred to the jurisdiction
of Ukraine. I suggested that Russian and Ukrainian space agencies
look for approaches to joint use of the equipment of these control
points as we have agreed to do with Uzbekistan, but negotiations have
been difficult so far.
10. [Makarov] Could Ukraine somehow independently use all of our
antennas, control centers, etc.?
11. [Ivanov] No. These complexes cannot operate independently,
without the infrastructure created over decades, without the
technical base of the manufacturing enterprises, without specialists,
who, incidentally, are trained by our Military Space Institute in St.
Petersburg.
12. [Makarov] I know that the greatest problem for you is Baykonur.
Hundreds of billions have been "poured" into there and now it has
ended up outs de Russia- - -
13. [Ivanov] In order for the space vehicle launching site to
function normally, four interstate agreements have been concluded.
The construction unit has now been transferred to the jurisdiction of
Kazakhstan. The rest are included in the Military Space Forces of
Russia. The problem is staffing them. Units at the test site are only
57.9 percent staffed with enlisted men and noncommissioned officers.
14. Recently President B. Yeltsin sent a letter to President of
Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev with a proposal to meet in May 1993 to
discuss questions of the vital activity of Baykonur.
15. [Makarov] Can you reveal the budget of the Military Space
Forces?
16. [Ivanov] We do not have a new budget yet, it still has to be
approved by the Supreme Soviet. I can say only that, for example, it
will take about 40 billion rubles just to maintain Baykonur in 1993.
In terms of expenses the space forces occupy third place in the
Ministry of Defense after the Navy and Air Force. After us come the
missile forces and the Antiaircraft Defense.
17. [Makarov] Who if not you should one ask about UFO's. Are there
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any, finally, or not?
18. [Ivanov] I shall begin with an example. When I was the chief of
a space vehicle launching site, a general came to me and introduced
himself: the chief of an institute created especially to study these
phenomena. We sat down and talked. It turned out that all his data on
flights of unidentified objects in the North completely coincided in
time with the launches conducted in Plesetsk. The fact is that the
North has one peculiarity. It is that the atmosphere there has unique
properties. Launches in Plesetsk can be seen even in Novaya Zemlya.
19. There was a case about five years ago when three objects passed
somewhat to the side of Baykonur at a high altitude. They were
clearly visible on the radar screen. We still do not know what they
were, but it is certain that they were not airplanes.
20. Like everyone else, I am interested in this problem. It is
simply that I cannot deny the possibility of the existence of UFO's
as many people do.
21. [Makarov] What can space do for the man on the street?
22. [Ivanov] It not only can but already is giving us a great deal.
Space--equipment for communications, navigation, observation, weather
support, and scientific purposes makes if possible w#th great -
effectiveness to catch fish, search for minerals, draw geographical
maps, warn of danger and rescue people who have suffered from
disasters, and manufacture new medical preparations and metal alloys.
Even now all a geologist or even a plain tourist has to do is take a
small and, incidentally, inexpensive instrument in order, with the
help of the GLONASS space navigation system, to know his location at
any time. Incidentally, when the Americans conducted the Desert
Storm operation, the troop commander said then that the division
commanders were the first to assess the advantages of space
communications and navigation. They were put out in the desert and
told to find the coordinates of the meeting place, and with the help
of portable navigation devices they arrived at the precise place at
the appointed time.
23. But the main thing space can help with is bringing people
together. When we experience its limitlessness, coldness, and
emptiness, the need to join forces to study and inhabit it inevitably
arises of its own accord.