Kathrine Frich
Russia’s mysterious shortwave station has sparked another wave of anxiety after crackling back to life with a series of coded signals.
The decades-old transmitter, long associated with moments of tension, is again fuelling speculation about the Kremlin’s intentions.
One particular message has set off concerns across the Baltic region.
Alarming broadcast
According to the Daily Mirror, the Cold War-era station known as “The Buzzer” transmitted at least seven coded messages on Monday.
Among them was one word that immediately caught attention: LATVIA.
Latvia borders Russia and is part of both the EU and NATO, along with Estonia and Lithuania.
Analysts have long viewed the three Baltic countries as vulnerable in any confrontation with Moscow.
Under NATO’s Article 5 mutual defence clause, an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
Messages trigger speculation
The broadcast recorded on Monday read: “NZHTI NZHTI 15854 LATVIA 5894 4167.” It was the sixth coded message heard that day.
Other codewords included NANTOTYUK, LAST, BOLONSKIY, GALVANIZER and DRAW.
The station normally emits a steady buzzing sound, which is why listeners call it “The Buzzer.”
At unpredictable moments, however, it breaks into coded speech, often during military drills, political tensions or major troop movements.
Online discussions quickly erupted after the LATVIA message was shared.
Online reactions
Some Russian-language users responded with overt hostility.
“Can Latvia be erased from maps?? Has it started!!????” one person asked. Another commented, “We should also add Estonia and Lithuania.”
Others speculated about a new conflict.
“There’ll soon be another SVO, only this time in the Baltics,” one wrote, using the Russian abbreviation for “special military operation.” Another said, “Latvia, consultation on NATO Article 5.”
One listener added, “There have been so many messages today, even I am worried about the Lavtians now.”
Links to missile forces
Experts believe the signal originates from Russian Strategic Forces networks, which are connected to the Kremlin’s nuclear strike capabilities.
Although the purpose of the coded broadcasts remains unclear, the association has fuelled longstanding conspiracy theories.
The latest surge in messages came shortly after the transmitter briefly fell silent.
According to reports cited by east2west news, the station went offline after a drone strike reportedly hit the power station supplying electricity to the site.
The renewed activity has coincided with heightened military exercises.
Previous coded transmissions
In October, listeners reported several similar broadcasts, possibly linked to Russia’s Grom-2025 missile drills.
Messages sent at the time included: “NZhTI 33438 DON QUIXOTE 1745 1643” and “NZhTI 34948 DYROKOL 0091 5671,” with “Dyrokol” translated as “Hole Punch.”
A further message on Monday stated: “NZhTI 07377 POSAZHENY 9051 8779,” referring to a figure in traditional folk weddings who stands in for the parents of the bride or groom.
As the messaging grows more frequent, Baltic officials and analysts are watching closely for further signs of intent.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, who may have used AI in the preparation
