Vladimir Azhazha

Vladimir Azhazha is a prominent Russian UFO researcher, recognized as one of the leading experts in the field during the 1990s. A Soviet/Russian scientist and enthusiast, he actively investigated UFO phenomena, including the notable Petrozavodsk sighting in 1977, which he attributed to a UFO carrier or energy field, aligning with Felix Zigel's assessment. Azhazha hosted Jacques Vallee in Moscow in 1990, discussing Soviet UFO research and organizing informal dinners with associates. Key achievements include compiling UFO reports and advocating for extraterrestrial hypotheses. At the 1992 Albuquerque UFO conference, he claimed 5,000 Russian abductions based on missing persons data correlated with UFO hotspots. He published works on UFO encounters, though early claims like a UFO attack on Apollo 13 (later admitted as youthful enthusiasm) and reliance on forged photos drew criticism. No birth/death dates confirmed; active in post-Soviet era UFOlogy.