In the archives of the city of Arzamas (Russia) there is one amazing document, the report of the zemstvo chief Vasily Shtykov to higher authorities. In a document dated 1719, it is reported that a great storm broke out in the district, tornadoes and hail fell on the ground and many livestock and other animals died, and in addition a dragon fell from the sky. This dragon was burnt and smelled very much, spreading a foul smell throughout the area. Apparently lightning struck the dragon flying across the sky.
The district authorities were afraid to bury this dragon, since there was a decree of Tsar Peter the Great that any unusual creatures should be soaked in alcohol and sent to the Cabinet of Curiosities. A dead dragon that fell from the sky was placed in a barrel of alcohol and sent to St. Petersburg.
This monster is described by witnesses as follows, - This monster from head to tail had a length of 7 meters 64 centimeters. The teeth are sharp, like those of a pike, but much longer and curved, and in front there are two canines, each 8.8 centimeters long. On the back, the dragon has two wings made of dense skin, similar in structure to the wings of bats. Straightened from the back, the wings are 6 meters 92 centimeters long. The creature has a long tail, 3 meters 10 centimeters long. Hairless feet with large nails. The eyes are faded, but they look very scary.
“Summer 1719 June 4 days. There was a great storm in the district, and a tornado and hail, and many cattle and all living creatures perished … And a serpent fell from heaven, scorched by God's wrath, and stank disgustingly. And, remembering the Decree of God by the grace of our All-Russian Sovereign Peter Alekseevich from the summer of 1718 about Kunshtkamor and collecting various curiosities for it, monsters and freaks of all kinds, heavenly stones and various miracles, this serpent was thrown into a barrel with strong double wine.
The length of this monster from the mouth to the end of the tail burned is ten arshins and five vershoks, and the teeth in the mouth, like a pike, but, moreover, are crooked, and in front even more two inches, and the wings, like a bat have leather, and one wing from the Zmiyev ridge is as long as nine arshins and ten vershoks, and the tail is extremely long, already four arshins and five vershoks, bare paws, with claws, like an eagle and more, and paws on the wings are four-fingered with claws. and the eyes are pale, but very fierce."
Arshin. Old Russian measure of length. In the 16-17 centuries. was divided into 4 quarters and was equal to 72 cm / 27 eng. inches /. Vershok. An ancient Russian measure of length, equal to 1/16 of an arshin or 4.4 centimeters.