Russia's mysterious "Doomsday Radio" has emitted a flurry of cryptic messages this week, fuelling anxiety across Europe that Moscow may be gearing up for large-scale war.
The UVB-76 broadcast facility, which has operated since the 1970s and typically emits little more than an unsettling continuous buzz, sent out 15 secret messages over recent days.
Listeners monitoring the frequency detected three coded transmissions on Monday, followed by a further eight on Wednesday.
The unusual surge in activity comes as tensions between Russia, Ukraine and Nato allies remain at dangerous levels.
PICTURED: The entrance to what's believed to be the UVB-76 shortwave station's home outside St Petersburg | GOOGLEExperts believe the station maintains links to Russia's strategic military command and may serve as a channel for covert orders to armed forces or intelligence operatives abroad.
The coded broadcasts contained a series of cryptic phrases including PEPPER SHAKER, TRANSFER, PABODOLL, SPINOBAZ, FRIGORIA, OPALNY, SNOPOVY and MYUONOSVOD, though their meaning and intended recipients remain unknown.
Wednesday's intensive transmission period ran from approximately 1.07am to 4.26am, according to Russian media.
By Friday, the station had shifted to broadcasting faint music alongside extended bursts of Morse code rather than voice messages.
Experts believe the station maintains links to Russia's strategic military command
| REUTERSSuch coded communications using dots and dashes remain valuable for military purposes as they are nearly impossible to jam completely and conceal both the sender's identity and location.
One listener wrote on social media that receiving 15 messages simultaneously was highly unusual, given transmissions typically occur only once every month or two.
Among the most alarming transmissions was a batch of six messages sent on 17 November, one of which explicitly referenced Latvia, a Nato member state bordering Russia.
The message read: "NZHTI NZHTI 15854 LATVIA 5894 4167."
RUSSIA - READ THE LATEST:
Nato members, mapped: Who makes up the alliance? | GB NEWSThis direct mention of the Baltic nation sparked considerable concern across Europe.
Any Russian military action against Latvia would automatically invoke Nato's Article 5, the alliance's collective defence clause obligating all member nations, including the US, to respond militarily.
Such a scenario could potentially escalate into nuclear confrontation.
The station had briefly gone offline in mid-November after Ukrainian drone strikes damaged power infrastructure in the vicinity.
Since resuming operations in late November, the facility has produced waves of fresh coded communications.
Al Carns warned that the 'shadow of war is knocking on Europe's door'
|GETTY
The cryptic messages come as Armed Forces Minister Al Carns issued a stark warning that the "shadow of war is knocking on Europe's door," urging Britain's Nato partners to stand ready for potential conflict.
His comments reflect growing unease among Western officials about Moscow's intentions.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte echoed these concerns during an address in Berlin on Thursday.
Mr Rutte told the audience: "Russia has brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great grandparents endured."
The increased frequency of coded transmissions from UVB-76 during periods of global crisis has long been observed by analysts.
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