Ukraine stops 'Doomsday': Mysterious Russian radio station goes silent after drone strike
Illustrative photo: the transmitter has been broadcasting a short signal since the 1970s (Getty Images)
The Russian Doomsday Radio Station stopped broadcasting due to an attack by a Ukrainian drone. It was established in the 1970s and has continuously transmitted a short buzzing signal ever since, according to Russian media.
"Broadcasting will be temporarily unavailable. The problem is a power outage caused by a UAV strike on a substation," Russian social media pages report.
This radio station has transmitted a short buzzing signal for decades, which is why it is also called the Buzzing Station. Occasionally, the signal is interrupted by strange voice messages and call signs.
There is no official explanation of the purpose of the Doomsday Radio Station, which has attracted many conspiracy theorists. They constantly search the broadcast for "secret codes and signals," and any disruptions are interpreted as signs of an impending nuclear war.
What is known about the Doomsday Radio Station
The Doomsday Radio Station refers to the shortwave radio station UVB-76, also known as The Buzzer. For decades, it has transmitted short sound pulses on the 4625 kHz frequency. Occasionally, coded voice messages can be heard, consisting of numbers, names, or incomprehensible words.
The transmitter belongs to the Russian Armed Forces. It was originally located near Povarovo (Moscow region) and, after 2010, likely moved to the Leningrad (Pskov) region or near Naro-Fominsk.
The Doomsday Radio Station is believed to be part of a reserve communications system and may be used in emergency situations.
It is named as such because it:
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Operates even during war or global catastrophes;
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Is linked to systems that would theoretically be activated in the event of a nuclear attack;
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Uses technology capable of functioning without modern digital infrastructure.
It is believed that the transmitter would remain on the air even if all other communication channels ceased to function for some reason.
Recent activity of the radio station
Spikes in the activity of the Doomsday Radio Station have occurred:
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During Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine;
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During NATO summits;
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During periods of heightened tensions between the US and Iran.
These days were marked by extraordinary voice messages containing incomprehensible codes and words. Because of this, some experts believe the station is used for testing or transmitting real commands.
The last recorded activity of the transmitter was on 25 June, when 24 coded messages were transmitted in a single day.
On the night of November 14, a loud incident occurred in Novorossiysk. A fire broke out at a large oil terminal following a raid by unidentified drones. The governor of Krasnodar Krai confirmed the drone attack, noting that the Russian army "repelled strikes throughout the night."
Later, the media reported that oil exports from Novorossiysk were halted after the night drone attack, and a state of emergency was declared in the city.
