Radio Broadcast Disruptions Across Russian Cities Amid Alleged Hacking
Reports surfaced of interruptions to broadcasts from numerous radio stations in Kazan, Ufa, Belgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk and other cities. Local media circulated the claims of air strikes and missile attacks, prompting fast responses from authorities and broadcasters alike.
Officials from the Ministry of Emergencies issued statements denying any alarms or strikes. They urged the public to rely on official channels for accurate information and to disregard unverified messages circulating online. A spokesperson emphasized that the situation should be treated with calm and urged audiences to follow credible sources.
Other outlets attributed the outages to a hacker attack targeting radio station servers. In Kazan, listeners reported hearing warnings of missiles and air strikes on stations such as Radio Energy and Humor FM. A representative for Gazprom-Media Holding told Business Online that what was described as a technical malfunction was the cause of the disruption.
Listeners of Relax FM in the Voronezh region also experienced alarming prompts. Officials later advised residents to stay calm and avoid spreading panic, clarifying that the messages were not reflective of real events.
In the Nizhny Novgorod region, the radio broadcasts were interrupted again. Regional government sites stated that the messages stemmed from unauthorized access to radio broadcasts by unidentified individuals.
Meanwhile in the Chelyabinsk region, the regional security service conducted checks following an alarm broadcast in Magnitogorsk that urged listeners to seek shelter in bunkers. The main office of the Emergency Ministry in Bashkiria reported a hacker attack on the servers of several commercial radio stations across multiple regions.
Novosibirsk journalists reported similar anomalies as editors at Business FM learned of a faulty signal originating from colleagues at another outlet. Presenters shared that listeners had called in with questions about the reliability of the broadcast, and the team acknowledged uncertainty about the cause.
Civil defense authorities in Novosibirsk noted that the city’s air raid alarm did not activate as expected during the incident. In late January, broadcasts in Crimea and Belgorod reportedly showed an alternate address from President Volodymyr Zelensky on federal channels, a consequence officials explained as an unauthorized alteration of the broadcast signal.
Past episodes included a 2022 incident where a hacked broadcast briefly played the Ukrainian anthem on Krym radio, followed by a 2022 attack on Kommersant FM’s internet stream that spread Ukrainian songs and anti-war content. These events illustrate how broadcast systems can be compromised, sometimes affecting multiple platforms simultaneously. In at least one case, the mobile site was affected while other channels remained untouched. A notable release featured the song I Do Not Need War, which subsequently involved legal action against the artist for allegedly discrediting the RF Armed Forces. These episodes highlight the ongoing tension between information integrity and hostile disruptions in media broadcasts.
Authentic sources continue to urge caution and verification when encountering unusual messages on radio or online. Journalists and authorities reiterate the importance of checking official announcements and avoiding rumors. The broader lesson is clear: in an era of digital interference, reliable channels of information remain essential for public safety and trust.