Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a socialist state in Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was a primary geopolitical rival of the United States, leading to an arms race that extended into unconventional areas, including psychic research.¹

Psi Research and the "Psi Gap"

Reports and rumors of extensive Soviet psi research, particularly after the fabricated "The Nautilus" story in 1960, spurred significant concern within the U.S. intelligence community. Figures like Leonid Vasiliev and Eduard Naumov were prominent in Soviet parapsychology, conducting experiments in telepathy and remote influencing.¹

U.S. intelligence agencies, including the DIA, expressed concerns about a potential "psi gap," fearing that Soviet advancements in this field could enable them to access top-secret U.S. documents, influence leaders, or disable military military equipment remotely.¹

Targets of U.S. Remote Viewing

The Soviet Union and its military installations were frequent targets for U.S. remote viewing programs, including the Grill Flame unit. Notable successes included Joe McMoneagle's remote viewing of a Soviet Typhoon-class submarine under construction and a Soviet surveillance bug in a U.S. embassy.¹

Historical Events

In December 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, making Pakistan a key strategic priority for the United States.²