On September 27, 1989, the city of Voronezh in the Soviet Union became the site of an event that would be discussed for decades to come. Situated some 300 miles south of Moscow, Voronezh was an industrial city where life typically unfolded at a steady, predictable pace. That late September day seemed no different, with people going about their usual activities, unaware that the evening would bring something entirely unexpected.

As the sun set and the evening took hold, a group of boys played in a park near Mendeleev Street. It was the kind of evening activity that was common for children in the area—running around, kicking a ball, enjoying the last light of day. But as they played, something caught their attention in the sky above. A strange, glowing object appeared, moving in a way that defied conventional explanation. At first, they thought it might be a plane or a helicopter, but it soon became clear that this was something entirely different.

The object, described as a large, bright, disc-shaped craft, hovered silently above the park. The boys watched, a mix of curiosity and fear rising within them. The craft emitted a light that bathed the entire area in an otherworldly glow, casting long shadows and making the ordinary surroundings seem eerie and surreal. Then, without warning, the craft began to descend, landing in a nearby clearing with an almost effortless grace.

What happened next would leave the boys—and eventually the world—grappling with questions that remain unanswered to this day. As the craft settled onto the ground, a hatch opened, and out stepped three beings unlike anything the boys had ever seen. These figures were tall, standing close to nine feet, with elongated limbs and heads that were disproportionate to their bodies. Their appearance was both humanoid and yet unmistakably foreign, their movements precise and deliberate.