Jüri Lina

The most controversial Estonian ufologist who wrote about the subject through the lens of esotericism and dissent

Name	Jüri Lina
Age	76
Born	October 13, 1949
Famous for	Bravely exposing UFO suppression during the Soviet era

If Juri Lina were to be described using one word, he would be a “revolutionary.” The Estonian journalist, music producer, film director, radio host, and ufologist was never one to follow conventional thought, and he leveraged that throughout his journalistic career and life.

Who Is Juri Lina?

Lina is most known for his critical view of socialism and his unwavering dissent against the authorities of the Estonian SSR. In fact, he spent his early years in journalism writing articles, reviews, and translations that expressed unwelcoming views about the soviet republic.

Since then, his works have been closely monitored by Estonia’s governing body.

How Did Juri Lina Become Involved in UFO Topics?

Lina’s interest in UFOs began on November 2, 1969, when he experienced his first encounter in Tallinn with his two friends, Toju Kurmet and Ulo Kurmet. He shared that they were having a fun discussion about music when all of a sudden the lights went out. Outside, a very bright light appeared, making the night seem like daytime.

The three of them rushed to the window to check what had happened. Juri Lina described what they saw as:

• A cigar-shaped object hovered outside the house.
• It emitted three or four spherical objects.
• Once it flew over the house, the lights went out, and the radio went silent.

This night wasn’t the only encounter Lina experienced.

On November 24, 1974, he claimed to have a sudden urge to visit a secluded place in the woods. He brought two other friends with him and shared that they spent minutes waiting around in a clearing until the following events happened:

• A strange, diffused red light glowed above the trees.
• Their surroundings were illuminated, and their bodies felt bigger or taller.
• They heard a noise like someone had lit a fuse, but much stronger.
• A green ball of light came from the east, passing two meters above their heads.

Despite the unusual event, Lina claimed that all three of them didn’t feel scared. Instead, they felt protected, as if nothing evil could reach them. This may have become his motivation to continue through his journalistic pursuits despite his previous clashes with the government.

His Life After His UFO Encounter

In 1970, he began his first investigation, which attracted other people who were as intrigued as he was. This marked the beginning of the underground publishing house he founded in secrecy, where he printed literature on UFOs and held discussions about them with others.

The publishing house operated in total secrecy for two to three years to avoid detection by the KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti, or the Committee for State Security), the Soviet Union’s primary security agency. To write about UFO events, they had to smuggle magazines and books by mail from abroad. They also kept contact with people from Ukraine, Moscow, Lettland, Leningrad, Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden.

This secrecy only added to Juri Lina’s reputation, and soon enough, the KGB started questioning people about his whereabouts.

On April 2, 1975, he claimed that the KGB broke into his house. Fortunately, he noticed it and had time to burn letters and documents he had kept. Lina exposed that the agency threatened to make living in Estonia impossible should he continue what he was doing.

The visit forced him to lie low from his journalistic endeavors as the KGB blacklisted him from publishing anything. During this time, he worked by transporting cattle to Central Asia² and as a night watchman until he left the country in 1978.

However, even in Sweden, Lina couldn’t escape from the KGB’s surveillance. In 1981, a man came up to him and threatened him with death after he wrote and spoke about the human rights situation in Estonia. He also got convicted in absentia of treason in 1984 for his books, Öised päevad (Night Days, 1983) and Soviet hotar Sverige (Soviet Border Sweden, 1984).

His Role in UFO Research

Despite the threats and treatment he received, Juri Lina’s determination to write about politics and UFOs alike was unwavering. He had investigated 30 out of the almost 200 documented UFO cases in Estonia and had published two cases in FSR (Flying Saucer Review).

One of those incidents involved a Russian officer in June 1978. The humanoids allegedly told the man, “We know a lot about you. If you start a war that becomes dangerous to the planet, we will interfere and stop you.”

What Books Has Juri Lina Written About UFOs?

Lina has numerous publications under his name, but only three of them focus on the extraterrestrial phenomenon.

Ufotutkimuksesta Neuvostoliitossa (UFO Research in the Soviet Union)This was Juri Lina’s first book on UFOs, published in 1979. It documents Soviet UFO investigations, highlighting the secretive Institute 22, or the Soviet Union’s version of the US’s Project Blue Book. The Ministry of Defense created this organization to investigate UFO events in the Soviet Union. This brought Lina to discuss the state suppression of ufology. He stated that any investigation outside the Soviet authorities was heavily repressed, as evidenced by his experience.

UFO-forskning i Sovjetunionen (UFO Research in the Soviet Union)This book is a revised and expanded version of the previous material. Published in 1984, this work was later updated to include more accounts, detailed narratives, and quotes from additional witnesses and scientists.  This still discusses the suppression of investigations by the Soviet Union and highlights the spiritual implications of these encounters.

UFO-gåtan fördjupas (The UFO Mystery Deepens)Published in 1992, this book serves as a follow-up to the previous materials, offering a more in-depth analysis and examination of certain cases.  Juri Lina also provides possible interpretations of these events and their connection to interdimensional phenomena.

What Are His Key UFO-Related Theories?

All of Juri Lina’s UFO-related books revolve around the same concepts and themes, only expanding them as years go by.

Soviet UFO Cover-Up

One of Lina’s main arguments is the issue of suppression or secrecy within the government, particularly the USSR. This is evidenced by his own experiences while investigating UFO cases. He claims that only a small portion of the reported cases were acknowledged by the authorities, and most of them were hidden from the scientific community.

UFOs as Etheric Beings

In his first book, Lina already referenced Konstantin Tsiolkovsky’s belief that UFOs are etheric beings. This means that the journalist believes that UFOs, rather than being aliens, are from a realm beyond the physical world or a different spiritual realm.

In his interview, he mentioned that he believes UFOs can be interplanetary, but he’s also open to the idea that they may be interdimensional. What’s certain is they don’t originate from this planet.

UFOs Connection to Freemasonry

As the subject of secret societies is something Lina firmly believes in, he has linked both of his interests together. He believes that the control of UFO information is due to the secret societies manipulating the public’s perception of the extraterrestrials.

His Legacy in Ufology

Juri Lina’s mark in ufology lies in how he challenged the Soviets’ secrecy of UFO information, and his redefinition of the phenomenon as both political and spiritual. His exposé on the censorship of independent investigators is a significant contribution to the broader scheme of UFO suppression.

Although his background is filled with controversy, Lina is celebrated within the community for his esoteric beliefs and political philosophy.

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FAQ

Does Juri Lina believe in UFOs and extraterrestrial life?

Yes, Lina believes in them and has claimed that he encountered them personally. Although instead of the traditional perception of them being interplanetary, Lina thinks they are interdimensional. 

What are his main theories about UFOs?

Lina has focused on three primary theories about UFOs:

• He believes that secret societies play a role in manipulating the public’s perception and understanding of them.
• He believes that the government is keeping information about them.
• He thinks they are etheric beings rather than being aliens.

How does he view the global UFO disclosure movement?

Juri Lina is among the ufologists who believe that the public deserves to know about UFOs and should be allowed to partake in investigations, should they be interested.