March 12, 2023

Airwaves Hacked, Again


Airwaves Hacked, Again
TV monitor during the hack displaying a map of Russia and Crimea with the message, "Everyone, take cover right away!" Agentstvo Mosckva, Telegram.

On March 9, hackers targeted radio and TV stations in Moscow and Yekaterinburg and played fake air raid signals. Such attacks have become more frequent in Russia, revealing a potential vulnerability on the public airwaves. 

Social media users began posting videos of a broadcast warning about a radiation hazard, urging viewers to get personal protective equipment. The transmission also showed a map of Russia, with Crimea included, progressively turning red. At the end of the message, screens displayed a nuclear danger symbol. The Ministries of Emergency Situations in both cities have since confirmed the airwaves were hacked. The affiliation of the hackers of the latest attack is still unknown.

Similar attacks have appeared more frequently on the news in recent days. On February 22, radio stations on three oblasts played messages warning of rocket attacks. Then, the Ukrainian anthem and a statement from Ukraine's chief of military intelligence were played on Crimean airwaves the day before the anniversary of the war. On February 28, fifteen regions broadcast rocket attack alerts. Since the previous attack, television, which is regularly viewed by two out of three Russians, has become another target for hackers.

Meanwhile, what feels like science fiction in Russia is an everyday reality in Ukraine, as shown in this video by Meduza

You Might Also Like

Ukrainians Hack the Airwaves
  • March 01, 2023

Ukrainians Hack the Airwaves

Hackers intercepted radio stations in Crimea and played the Ukrainian national anthem, followed by the words, "Crimea will return home."
Index of War
  • January 28, 2023

Index of War

Fact and figures related to Russia's War on Ukraine.
Support Ukrainian Charities
  • December 24, 2022

Support Ukrainian Charities

Some useful resources where you can easily, and safely, help those suffering from Russia's War on Ukraine.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955