part0025

T he material in this section came about through interviews with the individuals who are the subjects of these chapters. The narrative and commentary are from the authors, based on what came directly from the subjects either in interview or direct contribution (or both). In our narrative, we’ve tried to tell the story as much from the Russian perspective as possible and we’ve quoted our sources where most appropriate, and where their words best relate their perspective on and memories of the events, experiences and other individuals taking part.

It’s important to point out that the Russian cultural beliefs and the language itself (as translated into English) provide filters and biases that leave us with a story that may not be what westerners have come to expect of the Russians where psychic spying (and possible psychotronic “weaponry”) is concerned. Additionally, some of the personal comments and stories may leave our western readers with strained credulity, given decades of the US government, politicians, media and others giving us a perspective of the Russians during the Cold War (when they were Soviets) as the “godless Communists” we were so concerned with, starting not long after the end of World War II.

A good portion of how Americans viewed the Soviets came from the fiction that erupted out of the 50s. Over the years, many authors such as Ian Fleming and Robert Ludlum provided us with enemy agents, sometimes thinly disguised Soviets, sometimes KGB agents. In other words, spy novels gave us the “us vs. them” mentality. Other broadcast mediums, including radio dramas (“I Was a Communist for the FBI”) and certainly television, coupled with motion pictures, truly cemented the image of the trench coat-wearing Russian spy in American minds.

Would it surprise you to learn that the “godless” label was quite far from the actual truth? That it was likely simply a way for the US government to further distance Americans from Soviets? In other words, it was a bit of propaganda though this is not to say they were not “enemies” per se.

While the Communist State may have had more of a very clear separation of Church and State in the USSR, the peoples of the many countries making up the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics did not suddenly give up their religious beliefs—or even practices—because their country suddenly went Communist. Even in Moscow, a short way from Red Square and the Kremlin, there are many old churches that continued with worship through the existence of the Soviet Union, with even high party members attending on a regular basis. Yes, there were persecution and killings of members of certain religious groups during the Stalinist era, especially the Jews, but the Russian forms of Christianity continued with only minor non-State-related disruption.

As a reminder of some of the material in our first chapter, the religious and mystical beliefs of the Russian people have strong roots in shamanic tradition, though merged with Russian Orthodox/Christian beliefs. Western New Age beliefs and practices—and there is a spectrum of them—have often co-opted various shamanic traditions. In addition, the Russians seem to have developed their own psi zeitgeist involving bioenergetic fields (subtle energy fields), information fields and more. Consequently, some of what you will read in the following section may seem a little on the “New Age” side, though this is hardly the way the Russians would see it. The descriptions of psychic practices and activities are as much based in the ingrained shamanic beliefs that are part of the Russian identity as anything else. However, while similar views are held in the West, they were hardly a part of Star Gate or associated programs.

We’ve tried to remain true to the way the Russians perceive psi and the ESP Wars, as to do anything else would be to do their beliefs an injustice. So, as you read the narrative based on the Russian sources and their own words, do keep in mind that the American perspective on ESP may seem as odd (or even “New Age”) to them as some of the following might seem to us.