The Mysterious Shortwave Radio Station Stoking US-Russia Nuclear Fears

https://www.wired.com/story/uvb-76-russia-us-nuclear-fears/

Posted by wiredmagazine

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  1. Shortly after US president [Donald Trump](https://www.wired.com/tag/donald-trump/) hung up a call with Russia’s [Vladimir Putin](https://www.wired.com/tag/vladimir-putin/) this spring, an obscure shortwave radio channel, broadcasting from a military base somewhere in Russia, sprang to life.

    Through a fog of static, at 4625 kHz on the shortwave dial, a man’s voice spoke in monotone: “Nikolai, Zhenya, Tatiana, Ivan.” He repeats the message—spelled out in the Russian phonetic alphabet—followed by a series of numbers and letters. The whole message reads: “NZhTI 01263 BOLTANKA 4430 9529.” What it means is anyone’s guess, but lots of people were guessing.

    This radio station, dubbed UVB-76, has spent much of 2025 broadcasting cryptic messages, strange music, and pirate interruptions. The channel has elicited fascination for decades. This time, however, something is different. Now, Moscow’s network of propagandists and warmongers are suddenly fascinated by this obscure channel.

    UVB-76’s real purpose is almost certainly innocuous and mundane. But in recent weeks, Moscow has capitalized on the eerie fixation with the channel to stoke fears of nuclear armageddon.

    Read more: [https://www.wired.com/story/uvb-76-russia-us-nuclear-fears/](https://www.wired.com/story/uvb-76-russia-us-nuclear-fears/)

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