Richard B. Russell Jr.

Richard B. Russell Jr. (1897-1971) was an American politician from Georgia, serving as U.S. Senator from 1933 to 1971. A Democrat, he chaired the Armed Services Committee from 1951 to 1969, influencing military policy. On October 4, 1955, while traveling by train through the Soviet Transcaucasus region, Russell and his aides witnessed two disc-shaped UFOs ascending vertically near the tracks, one after the other, before accelerating northward. They reported the incident to the U.S. Air Force upon leaving Russia. Declassified Air Force and CIA documents confirm the sighting, though CIA later attributed it to probable jet aircraft. No publications or further testimony from Russell on UFOs are documented, marking this as his sole notable UAP involvement amid Cold War tensions.