Green circular mass expanding into concentric rings — Sary Shagan, USSR

On one evening in late summer 1973, a source at the Sary Shagan weapons testing range (Site 7, Kazakhstan) stepped outside and observed a bright green circular object or mass to the west at an elevation of approximately 70 degrees. Within 10–15 seconds the circle widened and several green concentric rings formed around the mass; within minutes the coloring disappeared entirely. No sound was associated with the event. The source had no opinion as to the nature of the phenomenon and noted no subsequent rumors at the facility.

“"[Source] observed an unidentified sharp (bright) green circular object or mass in the sky... Within 10 to 15 seconds of observation, the green circle widened and within a brief period of time several green concentric circles formed around the mass. Within minutes the coloring disappeared."”

Text is heavily degraded OCR from a scanned CIA intelligence information report (report no. FIRK-311/01638-77, distribution date December 1977, DOI November 1972–November 1973). Classification markings: CONFIDENTIAL, sensitive sources and methods involved. Source is identified only as a 'former Soviet citizen' — single eyewitness, no corroboration. Altitude explicitly stated as undeterminable; diameter not estimable by source. Location (Sary Shagan) is a known Soviet anti-ballistic missile test range on Lake Balkhash, Kazakhstan; coordinates are centroid-level. Date narrowed to 'late summer 1973' but exact date unknown. Field comments embedded in document indicate CIA handler skepticism; no follow-up or corroboration noted. Confidence reduced due to OCR noise and single-source hearsay.