Psychic Arms Race between Superpowers – Nina Kulagina
Nina Kulagina, a Russian woman, gained international attention for her purported ability to move objects with her mind, a phenomenon referred to as psychokinesis (PK). Her abilities were reportedly captured in films, some of which were smuggled out of the Soviet Union by American researchers. In these demonstrations, she seemingly manipulated objects either through gestures or intense focus using only her eyes. Kulagina was studied extensively for over a decade by Soviet scientists, including Professor Sergeyev from Leningrad University.
The process of engaging her alleged abilities placed a considerable physical toll on Kulagina. It often required two to four hours of intense mental preparation, during which her heart rate could surge to 250 beats per minute, and she could lose up to three pounds in a single session. The effort left her temporarily unable to speak or see and caused lingering physical pain and dizziness. Kulagina described a peculiar sensation of a “hot stream of energy” rising from the base of her spine to her neck, which she perceived as the driving force behind her abilities. This sensation often left her with severe headaches after demonstrations.
Soviet researchers suggested that PK was not merely “mind over matter” but rather “mind over force field,” theorizing that magnetic and other energy fields play a crucial role. They even claimed to have developed machines that could amplify psychic abilities such as telepathy and PK. Studies hinted that natural phenomena like solar activity and magnetic disturbances might enhance these abilities, suggesting a broader connection between human energy fields and cosmic influences. This research presented a vision of humans as deeply interconnected with the energies of the Earth, celestial bodies, and even the thoughts and emotions of others, a concept that the Soviets believed could unlock latent psychic potential.
As a child, Nina Kulagina was known to have blonde hair and blue eyes, traits common among many in her native Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia. Situated in a region with a predominantly Slavic population, these features reflected the genetic makeup of her community, where a significant percentage—estimated at 50–60%—had blue or light-colored eyes, often accompanied by fair hair. This high prevalence of light features in the area is attributed to its northern European heritage, where such traits are genetically dominant.
Nina Kulagina, born Ninel Sergeyevna Kulagina on July 30, 1926, in Leningrad, Soviet Union, lived a life shaped by extraordinary circumstances that ultimately fueled the legend of her purported psychic abilities. Named after Vladimir Lenin, Nina grew up in a city that symbolized Soviet strength and prosperity. Her childhood was peaceful until World War II and the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union transformed her life. At the age of 14, Nina joined the Red Army as a radio operator in a T-34 tank during the Siege of Leningrad, a brutal period marked by starvation, relentless bombings, and unimaginable suffering. Her service earned her recognition as a senior sergeant, but it also left her physically and emotionally scarred—she sustained a severe abdominal wound that would impact her health for the rest of her life.
After the war, Nina’s life took an unusual turn when she began demonstrating what seemed to be psychokinetic abilities, including moving objects and manipulating materials without physical contact. These abilities drew the attention of Soviet scientists in the 1960s, who subjected her to extensive tests, often in secret, to investigate the phenomenon. The Soviet Union’s interest in parapsychology during the Cold War led to speculation about whether her abilities were genuine or part of a disinformation campaign to mislead Western intelligence.
After the Great Patriotic War, Nina Kulagina married Viktor Kulagin, a Baltic naval engineer and Communist Party member. The couple began to notice unusual activity during moments of intense emotion, such as objects moving or breaking without physical contact, leading Nina to suspect that these anomalies might stem from her own abilities. Experimenting at home, she discovered she could move objects like envelopes with concentrated effort and focus. This marked the beginning of her journey into telekinesis, which she claimed was accompanied by a burning sensation in her core that traveled up her spine and extended beyond her body.
Her abilities caught the attention of Soviet scientists in 1963, particularly when hospital staff observed her accurately identifying colors and sensing images without using her eyes. Dr. Leonid Vasilyev of Leningrad University investigated her dermal optical perception and eventually conducted secret experiments confirming her abilities. Despite the risk of ridicule or punishment in an atheist Soviet society that condemned anything resembling mysticism, Vasilyev presented his findings to the Soviet academic community, sparking widespread interest. Between the 1960s and 1980s, over 25 respected institutions, including the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and Moscow University, rigorously studied Kulagina under controlled conditions.
Her telekinetic feats were meticulously tested, often encased in glass to rule out magnets or strings. Nina reportedly moved objects ranging from matches to glass and even altered the trajectory of lasers and compass needles. Her brain’s electrical activity surged during these experiments, leading scientists to hypothesize that she extended energy beyond her skin. Beyond telekinesis, Kulagina demonstrated heat generation, burning ropes and leaving marks on researchers’ skin. She could manipulate water’s pH levels, disrupt heart rhythms in frogs, and influenced human heart rates.
Kulagina continued to participate in demonstrations that drew international attention, including from the CIA, which documented Soviet research into her abilities in over 37 classified reports, later declassified in 2016 and 2017.
The CIA document titled Parapsychology in the USSR offers an in-depth exploration of Soviet research into paranormal phenomena, including the work of Nina Kulagina, a prominent figure in psychokinetic experiments. The report highlights a broader Soviet effort to study such phenomena, despite the lack of official recognition for parapsychology as a legitimate scientific field in the USSR.
Her fame extended beyond the Soviet Union, with international researchers and media crews documenting her feats. In 1970, a Japanese television crew filmed her demonstrating telekinesis, while American researcher Dr. Herbert Benson observed and reported on her heat-generating abilities. German physicist Dr. Jürgen Keil visited Kulagina unexpectedly and left convinced of her authenticity after observing her demonstrations under casual and controlled conditions. Despite the global intrigue, by 1985, her declining health forced her to retire from the rigorous testing she had endured for 25 years.
Kulagina’s story intersects with broader discussions of anomalous phenomena and emerging public interest in UFOs and parapsychology. Organizations like Tom DeLonge’s To the Stars Academy of Arts and Science have drawn parallels between Cold War research into telekinesis and contemporary investigations into UFOs, suggesting these abilities could be as natural as gravity but remain poorly understood. Kulagina’s demonstrations, including her iconic manipulation of a saltshaker, continue to inspire speculation about human potential, blurring the line between science and the seemingly supernatural.
The last recorded footage of Nina Kulagina, filmed shortly before her death in 1990, highlights her continued mystique and the scientific intrigue surrounding her purported abilities. Featured in the documentary Man is a Mystery by the Leningrad Science Film Studio, this footage captures her final experiments demonstrating her claimed capacity to manipulate physical objects and materials at a distance. For over two decades, scientists had studied her phenomenon with fascination. Kulagina reportedly defied skepticism by performing what many perceived as miraculous feats, such as moving objects, deflecting laser beams, and even creating burns or melting surfaces through unexplained fields or rays emanating from her body.
In this final documentation, researchers described her ability to affect the molecular structure of materials, such as breaking acetate threads without applying heat or force. Kulagina’s “rays,” as the researchers termed them, appeared to disrupt the macromolecular chains of polymers, leading to the destruction of the thread. Similarly, she was reportedly able to imprint marks on surfaces, melting or altering plastic materials through her focus alone. Despite the lack of understanding of the nature of her radiation, her demonstrations—such as leaving fingerprint-like traces on materials—were presented as factual evidence of her capabilities.
Comparisons were drawn between what was termed the “Kulagina Effect” and the feats of Uri Geller, another controversial figure in the realm of psychokinesis. While skepticism and mystery lingered, the last footage of Kulagina preserved her legacy as a figure whose abilities challenged scientific boundaries and whose death marked the end of a career steeped in wonder.
