Camilla Jessen
Mysterious ‘Doomsday Radio’ in Russia sends eerie message among WW3 fears.
A mysterious Russian shortwave station known as UVB-76, or “The Buzzer,” has sent another eerie coded message, reigniting speculation about its purpose at a time of growing military tension in Europe.
A Broadcast With No Clear Meaning
The station has been transmitting since the 1970s and is known for its monotonous buzzing tones, sometimes interrupted by strange voice messages.
The latest transmission included sequences of numbers followed by Russian names: “Nicolai, Zhenya, Tatyana, Ivan” (NZhTI) and then “Olga, Tatiana, Elena, Leonid” (OTEL).
The broadcast ended with the words: “Soft sign, 78, 58, 88, 37.”
The meaning remains unknown.
Why It’s Called the ‘Doomsday Radio’
Over the decades, conspiracy theories have flourished around UVB-76.
Some suggest it is linked to the Soviet-era “Dead Hand” system, designed to ensure a nuclear counterattack if Russian leadership were incapacitated.
Others have dubbed it a “doomsday radio,” warning that it might activate weapons or signal hidden military operations.
Expert Opinions Clash
Professor David Stupples of City University in London told Popular Mechanics he is “almost certain” the broadcast comes from the Russian government, though he cautioned against assuming the worst.
“If it is the Russian government, it wouldn’t be for peaceful purposes,” he told Newsweek, while suggesting it might simply be a way of keeping military systems active.
UFOs, Mind Control, and Cold War
Meanwhile, Dutch radio monitor Ary Boender shared alternative theories in The Express, pointing out that some enthusiasts link it to UFOs, mind control, or Cold War relics.
He dismissed earlier rumors that UVB-76 was tied to Chernobyl.
Not the First Cryptic Message
The last notable broadcast from UVB-76 occurred in May, when a code beginning with “NZhTI 89905” was transmitted shortly before a phone call between Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump.
This repeat of the NZhTI sequence months later has drawn heightened interest.
War Tensions Add to Unease
The timing of the latest broadcast has fueled anxiety.
Just days earlier, Poland — a NATO member — reported shooting down Russian drones that repeatedly entered its airspace.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the incident as an “extremely dangerous precedent for Europe,” warning it marked an escalation of Russia’s war.
Social Media Speculation
Online, debates are raging over whether the strange radio message and the drone incidents are connected.
On X, one user wrote: “It’s almost like we have been in WWIII for a while now but that 1/4 of the people don’t know, 1/4 don’t care and 40 percent are busy debating about dumb s**t and 10 percent want the other 90 percent to believe we are not at war.”
Mystery Persists
Despite the intense speculation, no evidence has surfaced that the numbers and names broadcast by UVB-76 have any immediate or threatening significance.
What is clear is that its cryptic hum continues to unsettle listeners.
