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

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.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

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. 

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

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.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, 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