Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake, has long been associated with various mysterious phenomena. Particularly after the collapse of the Soviet Union, several reports emerged involving UFOs and alien encounters. These events were initially suppressed by Soviet authorities but were later revealed by Russian media. Lake Baikal is home to thousands of plant and animal species, many of which are unique to the region.
The lake’s eastern shore experiences cold temperatures, with an average winter temperature of about -19°C (-2°F) and summer temperatures around 14°C (57°F). The Buryat people live in this area, raising animals like camels, cattle, sheep, and horses. The area surrounding the lake and eastward is known as Outer Baikal. In 1996, Lake Baikal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Alien Encounters and UFO Sightings
Many of the stories surrounding Lake Baikal’s connection to extraterrestrial life focus on alleged encounters with flying objects and alien creatures. Supposedly, huge “spaceships” hover over the lake’s shadowy, deep regions, and military divers have reported seeing aliens deep beneath the surface. The lake, surrounded by mountains, holds one-fifth of the world’s unfrozen freshwater. Additionally, there have been reports of a bright “cigar-shaped” object floating above the lake’s surface. 
UFO Sighting in 1977
In 1977, during Leonid Brezhnev’s leadership, two researchers, V. Alexandrov and G. Shelyvestov, conducted an experiment 1200 meters below Lake Baikal. They were testing the intensity of sunlight penetration into the lake’s water. However, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by strange “bright lights” from all directions.
According to Alexandrov, “It looked like two intense spotlights shining from above and the sides of our submarine. Moments later, the lights turned off, and we were back in complete darkness.”
Another witness, Vyacheslav Lavrentievich, recalled a strange event, though he couldn’t remember the exact date. He mentioned being on a boat on Lake Baikal when a massive glowing disc shot up from beneath the water, causing temporary blindness and lifting them away from the ground. Although many witnessed this, they had no time to take photos or videos. The glowing disc was enormous, with an estimated size of 500 to 700 meters. After shining for around three minutes beneath the water, it suddenly vanished. The scene was both shocking and awe-inspiring.
Mysterious Phenomena and Unusual Sightings
Oleg Chikhulin, another witness, described a similar phenomenon while guiding students near Saint’s Cape. He saw a glowing spherical object that gradually faded and changed colors, eventually turning into a red sphere. After floating on the water’s surface for a while, the red ball started sinking and eventually disappeared beneath the lake, leaving the sky dark.
The 1982 Alien Encounter
In 1982, seven military divers allegedly discovered alien beings while diving in Lake Baikal. Historian Alexei Tsiavinenko stated, “At a depth of 50 meters, they encountered mysterious swimmers about 3 meters tall, wearing silver, tight-fitting diving suits.” These creatures only wore helmets and had no breathing apparatus or other equipment.
The divers were ordered to capture an Ishitande, a creature described in Russian folklore as half-human, half-shark. However, they were quickly obstructed by severe pressure symptoms and failed to complete their mission.
Connection to Prehistoric Rock Art
The divers’ story is sometimes connected to prehistoric rock art, with some claiming that these illustrations depict extraterrestrial visits to Earth. Tsiavinenko shared with NTV, “I have hundreds of illustrations about these ‘sky children’.” These illustrations often depict tall beings wearing diving suits and helmets, resembling modern astronauts.
UFO Images and Photographic Evidence
Forest ranger Gennady Lipinski recalled seeing an unidentified flying object (UFO). He described it as a fireball that he first noticed flying overhead. He kept watching it until it disappeared into the sky, but he couldn’t identify what it was.
On a more bizarre occasion, on July 9, 2009, around 10 p.m., Sergey Konechenikh, the founder of the Buryat Photography Union, mentioned, “We went onto the balcony to watch the last part of the sunset. Then, two glowing objects appeared and hovered above the surface of the water.” The photos he took, though simple, raised more questions. They showed two lights in the dark sky, with the center glowing orange and the outer ring yellow. He claimed that these mysterious flying objects hovered above Lake Baikal’s surface and changed position.
Around the same time, Anna Vinogradova also recalled seeing a different, but equally strange phenomenon. She said, “We were camping on the beach, and at night we saw an orange-red flash, almost as if there were a large fire.”
In July 2010, Nikita Tomin captured a photo in Listvyanka, showing a UFO flying above a lakeside resort in Irkutsk Province, with three green lights visible on the craft.
