Latest from Russia Today
Russia Today
21 minutes ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
UN ‘concerned' about arrests of Russian journalists in Azerbaijan
The UN Human Rights office (OHCHR) announced on Friday it is 'concerned' about press freedom in Azerbaijan following the arrests of Russian journalists. Moscow has denounced the detentions as 'unlawful.' On Monday, police in Baku raided the local office of Russia's Sputnik news agency, detaining two senior editors and five others. The news agency has been accused of fraud, illegal business activity, and money laundering – charges Sputnik dismissed as 'absurd.' A Ruptly editor was also detained while filming outside the building. '[UN] High Commissioner Volker Turk has repeatedly stated that he is concerned about the situation with press freedom in Azerbaijan and the detention of journalists,' OHCHR spokeswoman, Ravina Shamdasani, told RIA Novosti. 'We are monitoring this situation closely and are gathering more information before we can comment in more detail.' Following the arrests, Moscow accused Azerbaijan of 'hostile actions and unlawful detention of Russian journalists' and demanded their immediate release. Russia's consul in Baku met with the detainees on Thursday and was reportedly satisfied with their condition. Tensions between Moscow and Baku spiked after recent police raids on an alleged organized crime group in the Russian city of Ekaterinburg. The group, composed of Russian nationals of Azerbaijani origin, is accused of a string of gang assassinations and contract killings dating back to the early 2000s. Two elderly male suspects died during the police operation, with the preliminary assessment indicating that at least one of them suffered heart failure. The incident sparked outrage in Baku, which accused Moscow of deliberately targeting people of Azerbaijani descent and claimed that the two men had been murdered while in custody. Azerbaijani authorities arrested eight more Russian nationals on Tuesday, claiming they belonged to a cybercrime and drug trafficking group operating from Iran. Russian outlets identified two as IT specialists who left Russia after the start of the conflict with Ukraine. One suspect was reportedly a tourist. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is negotiating the release of its nationals with Azerbaijan through law enforcement channels. He stressed that Russia would defend the 'legitimate interests' of its citizens using 'all available means.' Speaking to reporters on Friday Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova suggested the rift between the two historically close neighbors has been influenced by outside forces. Friendly ties remain important for both Moscow and Baku, she stressed, while calling for a probe by Russia's Investigative Committee into the deaths of the suspects during the Ekaterinburg raid.
Russia Today
25 minutes ago
- Science
- Russia Today
This Russian radio signal might end the world. Scared? Maybe you should be
At 4625 kHz, a dull mechanical buzz echoes endlessly – day and night, winter and summer, across borders and decades. The sound is steady, almost hypnotic. Sometimes it falters. A brief pause. Then a voice emerges through the static: 'I am 143. Not receiving any response.' Then – silence. And the buzz resumes. No one has officially claimed responsibility for the transmission. There are no station identifications, no explanations, and no confirmed purpose. But it's been broadcasting, almost without interruption, since the late 1970s. Radio enthusiasts around the world call it 'The Buzzer'. Over the years, the signal has inspired a growing mythology. Some believe it's part of a Soviet-era dead man's switch – a last-resort nuclear system designed to retaliate automatically if Russia's leadership is wiped out. Others think it might be a tool for communicating with spies, or perhaps even extraterrestrials. Theories range from the plausible to the absurd. Like all good Cold War mysteries, its real power lies not in what we know – but in what we don't. Like the Kola Superdeep Borehole – the real Soviet drilling project that inspired urban legends about 'sounds from hell' – The Buzzer lives in that fertile twilight between fact and fiction, secrecy and speculation. In the West, Cold War history is often well-documented and declassified. But Soviet-era experiments remain buried under layers of myth, rumor, and deliberate silence. That opacity has given rise to a unique genre of post-Soviet folklore – eerie, atmospheric, and deeply compelling. And few stories illustrate that better than the one about a drilling rig in the icy Siberian tundra, a descent into the Earth's crust, and a scream from the abyss. One of the most enduring tales from this shadowy canon emerged online in the mid-2000s and still circulates in corners of the internet today. According to the story, a team of Soviet scientists drilling deep into the Siberian permafrost broke through to something unexpected. At unprecedented depths – allegedly beyond even the Mariana Trench – temperatures spiked dramatically. Curious, they lowered a heat-resistant microphone into the borehole. What came back was... unnatural. Screams. Thousands of them. Indistinct voices crying out in agony, echoing from the deep. The scientists, the story goes, either went mad or fled the site in horror. The 'sounds from hell' legend became an instant internet classic – and a perfect storm of Cold War paranoia, spiritual anxiety, and post-Soviet mystery. In reality, there was a borehole. The Kola Superdeep Borehole was a real scientific endeavor, and it did reach greater depths than the Mariana Trench. Temperatures did rise dramatically – not because of a gateway to the underworld, but due to the Earth's geothermal gradient. No screams were recorded. No scientists fled in terror. The project was quietly shut down in the early 1990s when equipment costs became prohibitive. Still, the myth persisted – because it fed something deeper than curiosity. It evoked the unknowable, the terrifying, the secret world beneath official explanations. And that same feeling, that same dark fascination, surrounds The Buzzer. Frequency 4625 kHz still exists today and anyone can tune in – though the chances of hearing anything besides the persistent buzz are slim. Sometimes, the buzz is interrupted by short messages appearing every few weeks or even months. The messages are brief and unsettling. Strings of numbers. Disjointed letters. Nonsense words like 'shlikomops' or 'verhojom'. Others sound oddly evocative, even poetic: 'Hryukostyag' – loosely translated as 'hog banner' – and 'bezzlobie', meaning 'non-anger'. The only fully coherent sentence – the one already mentioned, 'I am 143. Not receiving any response' – was recorded in 1997. Nothing quite like it has been heard since. On June 30, 2025, at 12:57pm Moscow time, the first word of the day broke through the static: 'zevoseul'. Later, at 2:26pm, the station broadcast another word: 'trunonord'. Just days earlier, on June 25, The Buzzer transmitted 18 separate messages in a single day – including 'bueroprysh', 'khryakokhrych', and 'kranofai'. As always, no explanation followed. No pattern revealed itself. Just more echoes from nowhere. Officially, the station is called UVB-76. It originally transmitted from near Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) but went silent briefly in 2010 before resuming operations from a new location, presumably somewhere near Moscow. The purpose of its transmissions remains a mystery, but the most popular theory suggests it sends coded messages for military use. This has never been officially confirmed, as the Russian authorities have not commented on its existence. However, in response to a recent inquiry from RT, they stated that information regarding this radio frequency is not public. Furthermore, there are no officially registered private owners. As such, very little can be said about the radio station with certainty. According to both Russian and foreign military experts, it may be part of a system known as Perimeter and more commonly referred to as Dead Hand. Perimeter is a backup automatic nuclear retaliatory system developed in the USSR during the 1980s, designed to respond in case command centers are destroyed in the initial minutes of a nuclear conflict. If the country's top leadership (i.e., the president and general staff) dies or loses communication with the missile forces, a system known as Perimeter automatically activates. It analyzes seismic activity, radiation levels, and the absence of contact with command centers. If indicators of a nuclear strike are confirmed, Perimeter autonomously issues launch orders through backup communication channels. This means that even if leaders are suddenly eliminated, a retaliatory strike can still be executed, creating a situation of mutually assured destruction. Initial information about this system emerged in the 1980s. By the 1990s, experts began sharing declassified details. Dmitry Volkogonov, a Russian general and former adviser to Russian President Boris Yeltsin, indirectly confirmed its existence. For this type of system to function effectively, reliable communication is essential – and reportedly, The Buzzer may serve as one of its primary communication hubs. This is why it has earned the ominous nickname 'Doomsday Radio'. The theory connecting the station to military operations is supported by the fact that the buzz is often interrupted following major international events. For example, the messages 'hryukostyag' and 'bezzlobie' were broadcast shortly after negotiations in Istanbul. However, the recent conflict between Israel and Iran didn't elicit any new messages from the station. There's also a less dire explanation for the mysterious buzz – it may simply serve as a tool of intimidation. The protocols for launching missiles without direct orders from leaders have already proven unreliable. The most infamous incident occurred in 1983 when a warning system mistakenly indicated that the US had launched ballistic missiles, prompting the USSR to prepare for a counterstrike. Averted only by Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov, who realized the system had malfunctioned and alerted his superiors, this incident nearly led to nuclear war. Some experts believe that due to incidents like this, the Perimeter system is not operational anymore. The Russian authorities haven't officially confirmed whether this is true or not. Potential adversaries remain unsure if the Dead Hand would activate, which compels them to proceed with caution. In the meantime, The Buzzer adds to this uncertainty by transmitting enigmatic signals. Naturally, some people aren't satisfied with such a simple explanation. Over the past 50 years, many have proposed more intriguing theories to explain the mystery of The Buzzer. Some of the more conservative theories suggest that the station transmits signals to Russian agents operating undercover abroad or to secure government bunkers where officials can shelter in the event of war. Indeed, Russia has external intelligence services and secret shelters for its leaders, and the nonsensical messages transmitted by the station bear some resemblance to codes used by Russian security agencies. They also resemble military communication methods – typically, the Russian Armed Forces prefer less 'poetic' codes compared to the more allegorical terms like 'broken arrow' or 'bent spear' used by their American counterparts. A more captivating theory posits that this enigmatic station served a mystical doomsday cult that included Soviet military personnel and politicians who awaited the Apocalypse. Soviet leaders were indeed familiar with occult practices. The OGPU and NKVD explored possibilities in parapsychology, psychotropic weapons, and even telepathy. Strange sects and cults emerged in the USSR, particularly toward the end of the Soviet Union. One group, Amram Shambala, even attempted to infiltrate the military. However, these endeavors did not progress far, and the cults mostly remained marginal organizations. Finally, there are those theories that claim The Buzzer maintains contact with aliens. The USSR did send messages into space; in 1962, signals containing the words 'peace', 'Lenin', and 'USSR' were dispatched from the Deep Space Communication Center in Yevpatoria. They bounced off Venus and returned to Earth. But these were intended to test planetary radar systems, not to reach alien civilizations. For a long time, only military enthusiasts and radio amateurs showed interest in UVB-76. However, it began attracting significant attention in recent years as the likelihood of a major conflict arose again. This interest is understandable: Many people want to believe they can intercept military secrets or at least detect patterns in the signals to prepare for the next crisis. In an environment where accurate information is lacking – and with the Russian military still cautiously guarding its secrets – people start crafting their own interpretations. Initially, these theories astonish, shock, or entertain the public, but over time, they may start to seem plausible. However, reality is often less exciting than fiction. History shows that governments and generals are reluctant to reveal their secret developments to the world. They are even less inclined to make them accessible to anyone with a radio receiver. In the end, most classified military installations serve less thrilling roles: Relays, redundancies, or elaborate exercises in deterrence. But in a world starved of clarity, even a meaningless buzz can become a message. As it continues, indifferent and eternal, it carries with it a strange power: The less we know, the more we imagine. And in the silence between the beeps, the apocalypse is always just one signal away.
Russia Today
29 minutes ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Nuclear inspectors leave Iran
A team of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has departed from Iran, the agency announced on Friday. Tehran suspended cooperation with the UN-affiliated nuclear watchdog following Israeli and US attacks on its nuclear facilities last month. The inspectors will 'return to the Agency headquarters in Vienna, after staying in Tehran throughout the recent military conflict,' the IAEA said in a statement. Tehran cooperated with the international watchdog for years, maintaining that it was enriching uranium for civilian use only. Israel has claimed that Tehran was secretly developing a nuclear weapon. On June 12, the IAEA accused Iran of violating a key safeguard agreement, without presenting any evidence. The following day, Israel launched strikes targeting Iranian nuclear scientists and uranium enrichment facilities. Tehran retaliated with counterstrikes and the US joined the Israeli operation. The war lasted for 12 days and ended in a US brokered ceasefire. US President Donald Trump declared that the Iranian nuclear program had been 'obliterated' by America's military action. The Iranian leadership has rejected the claim. Iran has long accused the IAEA of colluding with its adversaries. Officials in Tehran claimed that the agency provided Israel with the identities of nuclear scientists and intelligence about key facilities. Russia has condemned the IAEA's role in the conflict. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said its data was used to plan the strikes, calling it 'a colossal blow' to the watchdog's credibility. The IAEA inspectors were housed in Tehran and were unable to visit Iran's nuclear sites following the 12-day conflict, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The agency withdrew its inspectors from Iran 'over safety concerns,' the outlet added, citing sources. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has stressed that it is crucial to negotiate with Iran to restart inspections and monitoring as soon as possible.
Russia Today
29 minutes ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
UN warns Haiti's capital nearing collapse as gangs tighten grip
Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, is on the brink of total collapse, with heavily armed gangs now controlling most of the city, a senior UN official has warned. The official stressed that violence continues to escalate across the Caribbean nation, while the international response remains slow and fragmented. Haiti has been without a president since the assassination of Jovenel Moise in July 2021, leaving a power vacuum that has allowed armed gangs to expand their influence unchecked. In the absence of a functioning central government and with weakened state institutions, the armed groups have grown in strength, seizing territory and increasingly operating as the de facto authorities across the country, particularly in the capital. 'Organized criminal groups have gained practically total control of the capital – approximately 90% of Port-au-Prince is under their grip,' Ghada Fathi Waly, the executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told the UN Security Council on Wednesday. She added that the gangs 'are continuing to establish their presence along strategic roads and border regions,' expanding attacks not only into surrounding areas but also into previously peaceful territories. 'Southern Haiti, which until recently was insulated from the violence, has seen a sharp increase in gang-related incidents,' Waly said. 'And in the east, criminal groups are exploiting land routes, including key crossings like Belladere and Malpasse, where attacks against police and customs officials have been reported.' She said the Haitian state's ability to govern is rapidly eroding as gangs tighten their grip, triggering a cascade of consequences. Criminal groups are filling the void left by the absence or breakdown of public services, setting up their own 'parallel governance structures.' Their control over key trade routes has crippled legal commerce, driving up the cost of essential goods such as cooking fuel and rice. Earlier this week, the UN's International Organization for Migration reported that the ongoing crisis has displaced a record 1.3 million people across the Caribbean state. The IOM noted that the number of makeshift shelters has skyrocketed by more than 70%. According to UN statistics, at least 5,600 people were killed in gang-related incidents in 2024 alone. According to AP, the Kenyan-led, UN-supported mission in Haiti, which arrived in 2024 to help curb gang violence, has remained understaffed and underfunded, with only around 40% of the planned 2,500 personnel currently deployed. The news agency also noted that in February, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres proposed providing drones, fuel, transport, and other non-lethal assistance to bolster the mission, but the plan has stalled in the Security Council.
Russia Today
an hour ago
- Business
- Russia Today
Trump to reinstate sweeping tariffs
US President Donald Trump has said his administration will begin notifying trading partners of new tariffs on their exports, as he prepares to reinstate tariffs that were paused for trade talks, which are set to expire next week. Since returning to office in January, Trump has launched a tariff campaign aimed at protecting US manufacturers. The campaign culminated on April 2 with a set of measures on what he called 'Liberation Day', including a blanket 10% tariff on all imports and steeper rates for goods from China, Mexico, Canada, and the EU. Some of the tariffs were paused for 90 days to allow negotiations, which are now due to end on July 9. Speaking to reporters early Friday, Trump said '10 or 12' notification letters would be sent that day, with more to follow 'over the next few days.' 'By the ninth they'll be fully covered,' he said, referring to the deadline for countries to reach deals and avoid higher import tariffs. 'They'll range in value from maybe 60% or 70% tariffs to 10% and 20% tariffs.' Trump said smaller countries would be notified later, with tariffs taking effect from August 1. 'It's a lot of money for the country, but we're giving them a bargain,' he added, without naming specific countries or sectors. Earlier this week, he ruled out extending talks. The US has so far reached agreements with the UK and Vietnam, and declared a truce with China after previous tariffs sparked a trade war that shook global markets. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday that Washington was close to a high-level framework deal with the EU that could avert 50% tariffs on the bloc's exports next week. Trump has long accused the EU of unfair trade practices, arguing that the bloc's regulatory framework fuels the transatlantic trade imbalance. EU trade ministers have criticized the UK-US deal – which keeps a 10% baseline tariff on British exports while easing tariffs on steel and cars – and warned of possible retaliation unless the bloc secures better terms. Bessent said around 100 countries could face a minimum 10% rate, though further deals are likely. 'I think we're going to see a lot of action over the coming days,' he told Bloomberg. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned this week that the tariffs could disrupt global supply chains and drag growth down to 2.9% through 2026.
