Russia’s mysterious “doomsday radio” has transmitted its first message in months, sparking renewed unease amid rising global tensions.
Officially known as UVB-76, the station has been operating since the Cold War, with its true purpose remaining the subject of speculation for decades.
Conspiracy theorists believe the broadcast relays secret military codes, with some even suggesting links to the Kremlin’s nuclear arsenal.
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UVB-76 is best known for its constant monotone buzzing—earning it the nickname “the Buzzer”—which is occasionally interrupted by Russian voice messages containing call signs, names, and strings of numbers.
Earlier this year, the station broadcast the code ‘NZhTI 89905 BLEFOPUF 4097 5573’ before Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s phone call, which at the time was described as ‘excellent’.
A few hours later, it followed up with the code ‘NZhTI 01263 BOLTANKA 4430 9529’.
Just yesterday, September 8, two codes were heard, including a code previously used by the station (NZHTI), as well as ‘HOTEL’.
The numbers ’38, 965, 78, 58, 88, 37′ were also heard, the meaning behind which remains unknown.
Professor David Stupples, who teaches electronic and radio engineering at the City University of London, stated: “It is almost certainly the Russian government that is using it.”
Speaking to Popular Mechanics, he speculated: “If it is the Russian government, it wouldn’t be for peaceful purposes.”
Freelance radio monitor Ary Boender, behind the website Numbers Oddities, added: “Some say that it is an old Soviet Dead Man’s Switch that triggers a nuclear attack on the west when it stops buzzing.
“Others say that it is a homing beacon for UFOs or a mind control device with which the Russians can program your mind.
“In the past, it was said that it was a remote control station belonging to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.”
While we are unsure what it all really means, we do know is that Putin has been very open about the possibility of WW3.
Despite this, he doesn’t seem keen on nuclear war, as, for example, according to a 2022 study, a week-long nuclear war between the US, its allies, and Russia would kill 360 million people.
Speaking at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum last year, Putin warned it would be bad news for Europe.
“If, God forbid, it comes to strikes, everyone should realise that Russia has an early warning system for missile attacks. The US has it. Europe does not,” Putin warned.
“They are more or less defenceless in this sense.”
He continued: “If those with whom we exchange such strikes [cease to] exist, whether the Americans will get involved in this exchange at the level of strategic weapons I doubt very much.
“The Europeans should think about it. But I assume that it will never come to that.
“We don’t have that need. Our armed forces so vastly outnumber them in conventional weapons that there is no need. I would ask you not to mention such things in vain.”
Scary stuff…