Residents of eastern Russia were once again the victims of a TV and radio hack, which appeared to imply that they were under nuclear attack.

This marks the third instance in just over two weeks where media outlets in the country have transmitted fake alerts, the Metro reported.

On February 22, a fabricated civil defense siren was broadcast, claiming that an “air raid alert” was currently in effect. Similarly, on February 28, a warning was transmitted stating that there was a “missile threat.”

Today’s message, however, included a distressing new instruction, advising those who heard it to “take potassium iodide pills,” which are commonly employed in the event of a radiation emergency.

Viewers who were watching television witnessed a map of Russia progressively transforming into a red hue from the west to the east while a voice instructed them, saying “There was a strike. Quickly seek shelter.”

“Seal the premises. Use gas masks of all types. In the absence of gas masks, use cotton-gauze bandages,” the message said, as reported by Metro.

The screens also displayed a radiation warning symbol in black and yellow along with a notification that read, “Everyone must seek shelter immediately.”

Reports suggest that the visuals interrupted Moscow and the Sverdlovsk region’s TV and radio programs, including Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city.

Written by staff