American Alchemy with Jesse Michels

Episode Summary: President of Russian Republic: "I Was Taken By Aliens While President!"

Air Date: December 14, 2025
Host: Jesse Michels
Guest: Kirsan Ilyumzhinov (Former President of Kalmykia and World Chess Federation President)

Main Theme

This extraordinary episode features former Kalmykian President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov—one of the few world leaders to ever claim direct, conscious contact with extraterrestrials during his political tenure. The conversation explores Kirsan's detailed account of his 1997 “invitation” aboard an alien spacecraft, discusses the intersections of UFOs and global politics, and contemplates the implications for science, spirituality, and the future of humanity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background on Kirsan Ilyumzhinov

• President of Kalmykia (a Buddhist republic within Russia), 1993–2010.
• President of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) for 23 years.
• Deep personal connections with major political and religious figures worldwide (Putin, Gorbachev, Kissinger, Dalai Lama, Pope John Paul II).

2. The “Abduction” Experience (06:00–17:12)

Context:

• September 1997, Moscow: Kirsan describes returning home from work, then experiencing what at first felt like a “half dream” but insists was physical reality.
• "You are constantly using the term abducted. I was invited by them." (00:45)

Detailed Account:

• A glowing, translucent tube appeared outside his penthouse window ([06:00]).
• He entered this “corridor” and was transported to a vast craft occupied by “beings very similar to us” ([06:48]).
• The beings wore yellow garments; communication occurred telepathically.
• “I pressed, and then it was easy to breathe again. The air even smelled like the sea or the forest or something.” ([09:24])
• He was given reassurances that he would be returned safely and at the same point in relative time.
• The extraterrestrials described humanity as “still embryonic” and self-destructive, highlighting global warfare and environmental destruction, and compared humanity’s development to “learning to cook animals instead of eating them raw.”
  • “Your only civilizational leap is that before you used to eat them raw and now you kill and cook them and eat them in restaurants by candlelight.” ([12:20])

Return:

• Kirsan’s staff and driver could not find him for an hour. Suddenly, he emerged in a room that had been searched multiple times.
• Vasily (chief of staff) confirms the disappearance and reappearance ([21:10]).

3. Effects and Reflecting on the Experience (24:12–36:53)

• Kirsan claims no physical or mental side effects, only a deep sense of joy and confirmation that “we are not alone.”
• “Why was my state normal? Not surprised? Well, because I was there. Probably on purpose. They probably have this effect so that a person doesn’t go crazy…” ([24:12])
• He emphasizes that many high-profile figures have confided similar contact experiences after he went public.
• The decision to go public was difficult: “Just the cons list was about 10 to 20 points…there wasn’t a single pro, really” ([30:51]).

4. Governmental & Global Political Reactions (29:00–52:17)

• Kirsan discussed his experience with Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin. Both leaders responded with polite skepticism but didn’t dismiss him ([68:35] – Yeltsin, [70:20] – Putin).
• Russian officials and journalists navigated the story cautiously; some close associates probed for more details ([29:38]).
• He notes ridicule and backlash from political opponents and chess figures: “Garry Kasparov immediately began to state...He must be removed and replaced.” ([30:51])

On UFO/Alien Knowledge Among World Leaders:

• Kirsan asserts that major world leaders (Putin, Trump, Xi Jinping, etc.) are certainly aware of UFO phenomena and may even have access to classified material ([50:42]).
• He recounts Kissinger and Gorbachev’s knowledge, including a story of a folder presented by a US President to Brezhnev that abruptly stopped lunar exploration:
  • "The President of the United States had a small folder...after that meeting, all research and all flights to the moon suddenly stopped." ([28:31], [49:30])

5. Global Perspective: The Chessboard, Ancient Knowledge, and UFO Cooperation (56:44–87:49)

On Ancient Knowledge Provided by ‘Them’:

• Kirsan claims ancient civilizations, pyramids, and even chess itself have extraterrestrial origins, citing uncanny technical achievements and the symbolic resonance of chess with DNA and duality.
• “Aliens invented it. Extraterrestrials invented it. Other civilizations invented it. Why does the chessboard have exactly 64 squares on it? 64 squares. Our DNA is made up of 64 DNA codons…” ([56:44])

On International Cooperation:

• He describes US-Soviet exchanges regarding unidentified underwater vehicles, coordinated in the interest of world security ([86:10]).

6. Spiritual and Philosophical Reflections (56:50–56:44; 103:48–124:34)

Dalai Lama & Buddhism on UFOs:

• Both Kirsan and the Dalai Lama believe “we are not alone,” but Buddhism places greater emphasis on understanding our own minds.
• “95% of our brain remains unexplored...if we study the brain more...perhaps without any need for spacecraft...we will be able to move through space, we will communicate with each other…” ([56:50])

Baba Vanga:

• Recounts personal experiences with the blind Bulgarian mystic, who foresaw Kirsan’s dual presidencies and confirmed “we are not alone.”
• “Are we alone here?...She even hit me a little and said, ‘what's wrong with you? Are you stupid or what? Can't you see it's all around you?’” ([95:35])

Underground Civilizations:

• Cites legends, scientific anecdotes, and Vanga’s testimony supporting the existence of advanced underground and underwater civilizations ([100:23]).
• “Even Baba Vanga told me sometimes she would point down with her finger and say, they are talking there. They are there...deep down, all the way to the core of the Earth, there are civilizations there as well.” ([100:23])

7. Iconic Encounters with World Leaders

Henry Kissinger:

• Multiple meetings reveal Kissinger’s familiarity with UFO subject matter and confidential documentation ([45:10]).
• “From our discussion, I understood that he is very familiar with the materials...located at the United States President's administration or CIA or NASA…”
• Kissinger, cryptically: “How are they? How are they feeling? What were they talking about?” ([45:10])

Other Claims:

• Relays an account of another current world president who confided his own UFO sighting on a fishing trip but refuses to go public ([65:47]).

Putin:

• Meticulous, detail-oriented, and takes UFO issues seriously ([72:38]):
  • “He examines every issue in great detail…Vladimir Putin’s memory is truly phenomenal…He takes everything very seriously…”
• Early 2000s, Kirsan claims to have advised Putin to consider joining NATO and unite humanity against not just terrorism but cosmic threats ([79:59]).

8. World Politics, War, and The Human Condition (111:43–124:34)

• Unique perspective on the US war in Iraq (Saddam Hussein) and the fall of Gaddafi, offering chess-like suggestions for peace that were declined ([112:10], [115:35]).
• Reframed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, asserting Putin’s desire for peace and the need for diplomatic compromise ([118:53–121:43]).

9. The Path Forward: Humanity’s Evolution

• Advocates for “ethno-planetary thinking,” teaching children to see themselves as citizens of Earth instead of just their nation ([79:59]).

• Calls for international cooperation on UFO research and greater investment in understanding consciousness ([109:39]).

• “The paradigm is shifting now...the battle between the light cosmic energy and the dark energy...a battle for our Earth, for our minds.” ([122:48])

• Emphasizes that everyone is an “expert” in their own right through their experiences:

  • “Every person. You as well, the cameraman, anyone at all? All people are experts. All 8 billion. ...In every person's life, there are moments when they saw something unusual.” ([108:06])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You are constantly using the term abducted. I was invited by them.”
  — Kirsan Ilyumzhinov ([00:45], [68:35])

• “I asked to be shown around to see where I was. It was probably a spaceship. A very large open space, like several football fields... No one paid attention to me.”
  — Kirsan Ilyumzhinov ([09:24])

• “Your only achievement in civilization is that we created you, the intelligent beings here... your only civilizational leap is that before you used to eat them raw and now you kill and cook them and eat them in restaurants by candlelight.”
  — Alien message, as relayed by Kirsan ([12:20])

• Vasily (on Kirsan's return): “Some time passed, maybe an hour, and suddenly he appears from the bedroom, even though he wasn't there before. I was so surprised. Where did you come from, Kirson? ... He laughed and said, well, aliens took me.”
  ([21:24])

• Kirsan, about revealing the truth despite stigma:
  “If a farmer had said it... they would probably say he'd had too much vodka... But if the President say it... then they might treat it a little differently. But still, when I spoke about it, everyone just started laughing, mocking and joking... and look, almost 30 years have passed already, and people still don't understand.” ([30:51])

• Chess as Extraterrestrial Legacy:
  “Aliens invented it. Extraterrestrials invented it. Other civilizations invented it. Why does the chessboard have exactly 64 squares on it? 64 squares. Our DNA is made up of 64 DNA codons. … This is the specific code.” ([56:44])

• On Putin and other leaders:
  “Of course they understand as leaders of nations, they must be informed. … People chosen by God or by the universal consciousness.” ([50:42])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 06:00–17:12 — Detailed account of the 1997 encounter
• 21:10–24:12 — Eyewitness account: Chief of Staff Vasily on Kirsan’s disappearance
• 30:51–36:53 — The personal and political cost of going public
• 45:10 — Henry Kissinger and Gorbachev: Insights on UFO dossiers
• 50:42 — Do world leaders know about UFOs?
• 56:44–63:22 — Chess, consciousness, ancient knowledge, and cosmic symbolism
• 70:20–72:00 — Putin’s reaction to the story
• 95:35–103:48 — Baba Vanga: psychic insights, souls, and the omnipresence of “unseen beings”
• 100:23–103:48 — Underground civilizations
• 111:43–121:43 — Reflections on war: Iraq, Libya, and Russia-Ukraine
• 122:48–124:34 — Final philosophical reflections on humanity’s evolution

Tone & Language

The episode balances awe, curiosity, and skepticism while maintaining a respectful and open-minded dialogue. Kirsan’s own tone is direct, philosophical, often poetic, and at times tinged with a sense of destiny. Jesse Michels asks probing yet respectful questions, seeking clarity and genuine understanding without sensationalism.

Conclusion

This is a rare, in-depth testimonial from a former head of state—one who bridges the worlds of post-Soviet politics, Buddhism, chess, and claims of contact with “higher” intelligences. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov calls for humanity to overcome egocentrism, expand consciousness, and recognize that “we are not alone.” The episode provides ample material for reflection on the potential for global unity, the intersection of mysticism and statecraft, and the transformative possibility of contact—whether with extraterrestrials, underground beings, or new aspects of ourselves.

Summary prepared for those seeking the core themes, ideas, and anecdotes in the episode without needing to listen end-to-end.