Number Stations Articles

Our site holds articles on three main study subjects: The history and use of number stations, the modern-day Russian military and the historical study of Soviet and post Soviet military expansionism and invasions.

Number Stations

Number Stations Listeners Starter Guide
A comprehensive guide of available stations to listen to, and how to listen to them.  We provide info on how to listen to these from your own PC using a remote WebSDR!

CIA Crest Archive
A list of specially picked articles released by the CIA to their Crest archive that include instances and uses of numbers stations.

Recording and Instruction About the Cold War Era Western Numbers Stations in KGB Archive
Original KGB recording of the German language numbers station from 1987, an instruction for KGB monitoring teams on what is a numbers station found in Latvian National Archive

KGB’s monitoring effort of Number Stations during the Cold War in Latvia
KGB documents from the Latvian National Archive reveal how KGB counterintelligence in Latvia made efforts on monitoring and studying the CIA and BND  numbers stations.

How to Catch a Spy who Uses Numbers Stations? The KGB Experience
Authentic KGB manual from the Latvian National Archive describes how to identify a spy who uses numbers stations and further gives insight into surveillance and methods of arrest and capture. The instructions are based on historic events.

Before Enigma: The Early Numbers Stations Monitors
Number Stations monitoring in the Monitoring Times magazine by “Havana Moon” revealing facts about CIA 4-digit numbers transmissions and other known numbers stations from 1983 to 1989.

Beyond Enigma: Numbers Stations Monitoring in 1990s
Numbers Stations monitoring during 90’s in the Monitoring Times journal. Logs, observations and first encounters with HAARP.

CIA Agents in East Germany. Documents of the Use of The Numbers Stations
German Democratic Republic intelligence service  STASI documents show information about numbers stations used by CIA in the GDR, their use, and decryption methods.

ENIGMA Newsletters 1-18
The originally preserved newsletters created by the ENIGMA group from 1993-2000, now archived in the British Library.

FBI Operation SOLO – Numbers Stations Revealed
Declassified documents from the FBI Vault were used to show the use of numbers stations during the Cold War.  It also reveals Morris Child’s role as an undercover FBI agent during the war.

Növö – The Shortwaves review
New digital music album dedicated to numbers stations and shortwaves reviewed here on numbers-stations.com

The Leviathan: Review on The Shadows the State by Lewis Bush
Review on a latest book about  numbers stations and their locations by Lewis Bush

Spanish Language Numbers Station from 1966
The original recording of Spanish language numbers station from 1966 and story behind it.

STASI German/Russian Lexicon of Intelligence Terms
The document revealed by Major Vasili Mitrokhin shows the STASI use of numbers stations.  Fully translated from Russian to English.

KGB Counterintelligence Dictionary on Radio Use
Soviet KGB Counterintelligence dictionary published in 1972 reveals how the Cold War top agency defined the use of radio in ciphers in espionage. Helpful for understanding how radio intelligence works and how it’s defined in official intelligence language and documents.

Stasi Sprach Morse Machine
The German Stasi Sprach machine was used to send coded messages through numbers stations by an automated voice and could also be used to send numbers in Morse code.  It was used primarily by East Germany (DDR), Russia, and Cuba.

The First Numbers Stations
Elaborating on the first instance of a numbers station from WWI: 100 Years of espionage, and the passage that confirms it from the ENIGMA Newsletter.

The Swedish Security Service Releases Info on a Numbers Station
The Säkerhetspolisen (Swedish Security Service) has released new info from their archives on their involvement with numbers stations.  This is another rare instance of a government agency confirming their use of them.  The Counter Intelligence section of their site published a recording of the numbers station identified as S10 – The Czech Lady.

TRIGON Numbers Station: The Case of Alexandr Ogorodnik
The mystery of one of the most successful CIA spies in Soviet Moscow and the Numbers station he used.

Working at a numbers station, a story from a numbers stations operator
A First-hand account of a person who worked as the operator at the numbers stations site.

World War I: 100 Years of Espionage
Includes the history of methods used in WWI for espionage and radio communications.  Also, includes the first mention and uses of a numbers station.

 

Military

Belarusian factor: Belarusian military, cooperation with Russia and its threat to the West. The Zapad 2017 scare
Belarus is just as important for the Russian military as Kaliningrad and Crimea. The article describes an analysis of the Belarusian military, their cooperation with Russia and threats it makes. Also, focus is placed on joint Russian-Belarusian drills Zapad 2017

Russian Communication Hubs in Leningrad region
The main Russian communication hubs in the Leningrad region and St.Petersburg. Information and pictures about them basing on internet sources and visits.

Russian Invasion in the Baltic States
Assessment of the possible Russian invasion of the Baltic States. The reasons for and against and how it could happen.

Russian Military in Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad region is one of the most armed and important regions in Russia. Stuck between NATO countries it serves both as bridgehead and pocket for the Russian military. Basing on open sources and visits we establish an image of what military units and bases are located in the Kaliningrad region.

Soviet and Russian Invasions Since 1917
A large but comprehensive overview of all invasions and wars conducted by the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation from 1917. Features a short overview of each case of Soviet/Russian invasion and a case study on aspects surrounding Russian invasions.

Soviet Military Expansionism and post-Soviet revival: Soviet and Russian military bases abroad
A major overview of the Soviet military bases abroad and their revival by the Russian Federation. New maps and information about every country that had and currently has a Russian military presence.

Soviet Offensive Plans Against Germany 1939-1941
Part of the Russian invasion study. Study on alleged Soviet offensive plans against Nazi Germany between 1939 and 1941.

The Origin of Buzzer Monolyth Messages, The Soviet Nuclear Defense System, and The Myth of The Dead Hand
This article goes into depth about the Soviet’s nuclear defense system and what the “Dead Hand” really was.

UVB-76 the Buzzer according to Russian ex-servicemen
The famous Russian military shortwave station revealed by Russian ex-army servicemen, its purpose and messages. These accounts brake many misconceptions about this station on mainstream media.

 

Espionage

The Game: KGB against CIA and SIS in the Baltic States 1945-1956
British SIS and US CIA operation in the Soviet-occupied Baltic States and KGB counterintelligence measures. Reveals the use of ciphers and radio communications that had a crucial role in the game between western agencies and the KGB.

The Russian Spy Ring of 2010, The use of Ciphers and Radio Messages
Based on public FBI documents, this article describes the use of ciphers and radio messages by the infamous Russian spy ring uncovered in 2010. One of their members was Anna Chapman.

How a One Time Pad Works: CIA Instructions
CIA special instructions from 1975 explaining the basics of the one time pad.

 

Radio History

History of the Latvian Soviet Radios. VEF and Radiotehnika
The two most known Soviet radio factories were from Latvia. A short concise history of the Soviet Latvian radio production