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

White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
At the Circus

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Steppe / Степь

Steppe / Степь

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
The Best of Russian Life

The Best of Russian Life

We culled through 15 years of Russian Life to select readers’ and editors’ favorite stories and biographies for inclusion in a special two-volume collection. Totalling over 1100 pages, these two volumes encompass some of the best writing we have published over the last two decades, and include the most timeless stories and biographies – those that can be read again and again.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
A Taste of Chekhov

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.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
22 Russian Crosswords

22 Russian Crosswords

Test your knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and society with these 22 challenging puzzles taken from the pages of Russian Life magazine. Most all the clues are in English, but you must fill in the answers in Russian. If you get stumped, of course all the puzzles have answers printed at the back of the book.
Murder and the Muse

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.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

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.

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
PO Box 567
Montpelier VT 05601-0567

802-223-4955