Recently Captured Russian Military Documents Within Kherson Front Lines Exposes More Information on Russian Military Radio Codeword Use

On July 27th, 2022 the Ukrainian governmental site sprotyv.mod.gov.ua (National Resistance Center) published photos, Russian military tables, glossaries and maps that had been said to been captured from the destroyed Russian enemy within the Kherson district. The documents obviously contain tables for meanings of various codwords, their use in action and what specific unit must use them. The units mentioned there are known to be active in this region. The documents however, does not contain any frequencies.

It seems plausible that these codewords or monoliths are used not only using radio, but also in digital or written form. Documents show that these monolith codewords indeed have special meanings for combat orders. They also show how Russians intend to make situation reports using misleading synonyms, like combat situational report is masked as a simple weather report. In so, documents are valuable to understanding how Russian radio communication works. For these reasons, a manual translation has been done and presented in this post.

To note a few critical notes beforehand; these documents are the instruction manuals.  They instruct the Russian units the way they should use these callsigns and codewords. As we know that in case of real combat situation things can go of the hand, especially if conscripts or recruits are involved. In such situations they would rather use clear speak, making this elaborate system ineffective.

For this reason, they are more likely used by commanding officer at the safe distance, or the communications officer in safely located communications unit. Especially if the high frequency or shortwave is used. Secondly, since the Russian side is probably aware that these documents are captured and exposed publicly already, there is no guarantee they not have changed the callsigns and codewords.

The original pictures are published below along with their translations. The monolith codewords have been latinized. In some cases when required for better understanding they have been translated.

Russian Military Codewords and Signals Glossary

Nr. pp.	Signal glossary (meaning)	Signal (Codeword)
1
8	Take temporary regional positions (starting firing) positions)	ASIMINA 175
9	Report about readiness to start attacks (open fire)	RAZNORJaD 293
10	Exit from marching towards firing positions	GELIKOGIRA 301
11	Open the artillery fire	DOZhD 359
12	Number of the military vehicles (weapon launch pads)	RASSYIPNOJ 474
13	Main launch (firing) directions	FOSFETAN 661
	Orders (signals) for the air defense units
1	Bring forces and resources of the AA to readiness at Nr. X	KOTOTOST X42
2	Bring guarding AA units and resources to readiness Nr. X	BALOVA X44
3	Bring  radio locational forces from guard to readiness Nr.	PALINDROM X72  Where x means the level of readiness
4	Bring radiotehnical forces to the readiness Nr. X	BRIOLIN X21
5	Ensure the safety flight of the friendly aircraft	RjaBINA 16
6	Cease AA fire immediately	KUROK 4563 6871
7	UAV spotted. No friendly UAV in the area	ZARJa 11
8	Aircraft (helicopter) spotted no friendly aviation in the area	ZARJa 22
9	Friendly UAV in the area	BORIS 11
10	Friendly aviation in the area	BORIS 22
11	Take combat (reserve) positions for XX hours, XX minutes, (XX number of the month, (Nr.74 TUSBU ? internal document)	GORBOLES XXXX XX91 where XXXX is time of hour and number of the month
12	Apply changing of the positional region at XX hours, XX minutes, XX (number of the month Nr.75 TUSBU)	GIKOGRON XXXX XX02 where XXXXXX is time of hour and number of the month
13	Apply changing the areas for combating low flying targets from 90th flack rocket brigade	PLOTVA 41, 42, 43
14	Apply changing areas for anti UAF reserves for 126th Coastal Guards Defence Brigade	SOM 11,12
15	Apply changing areas for anti UAF reserves for the 11th Guards Air Assault brigade and the 34th  motor rifle brigade.	OKUN’ 21, 22, 23, 24
16	Apply changing areas for the the anti UAF reserves for the 205th motor rifle brigade	KARAS 31,32
	Orders (signals) for the radiation, chemical and biological defense units
1	Enter the area of the aerosol cover	MAGNETON 282
2	Deploy aerosol cover	DUHOVKA 744
3	Cease aerosol cover	PROFOS 764
4	Open fire using TOS system	BLOCHNIK 169
5	Apply changing the positions	LED 588
6	TOV moves towards the boundaries of the area of the objectives 1,2,3th	TROPA 111,222,333
7	TOV to apply destruction by fire by using flammable materials	UDAR 111,222,333
	Orders (signals) for the Engineer forces
1	Carry out the destruction of bridge within the area of responsibility for the 34th  motor rifle brigade.	MAGNETO 222

 

Signal Glossary Page 2

Nr. PP.	Signal glossary (meaning)	Signal
1	2	3
3	Carry out the destruction of the bridge in the area of responsibility of the 205th motor rifle brigade within the region of Snigirevka (Snihurivka)	MAGNETO 333
4	Carry out the destruction of the bridge in the area of responsibility of the 205th motor rifle brigade between the Inhulets channel	MAGNETO 444
	Orders (signals) for the units of the medical service
1	Bring (brought) special medical units, carry out (carried) special the movement in the area	SPITSA 789
2	Carry (carried out) the evacuation of the injured	KOLESO 555
3	Carry out the evacuation using sanitary airborne units	PEREPELKA 479
4	Report about the delivery of the injured to the hospital	NOSILKI 956
	Orders and signals for the aviation
1	Carry out airstrike against the designated boundary	RUBEZh 111, 112

 

III. Recognition, Cooperation, and Targeting

“I am friendly” – green flare (on the radio – STAROSTA 111) response – green flare (on the radio SOSED 888) 

“This is the area of the combat contact – VOLCHIJ 2223) (green light)

“We are friendly units”  – BRATSI 1440 (green smoke)

“I am friendly aircraft” OBLAKO 5511

“Carry out strike at the designed area” – send series of red rocket flares towards the enemy (in line fire order towards the target)

“Entry of the engineer forces within the combat area of the flak rocket forces and flak artillery is allowed” – REVNA – 1111

“Entry of the engineer forces within the combat area of the flak rocket forces and flak artillery is not allowed” – REVNA -2222

Engineer forces must leave the combat area of the flak rocket forces or flak artillery at once! –REVNA-5555

“Start establishing active interference” – AKONTSIJA 1111

“Cease the establishment of the active interference” AKONTSIJA 2222

Reserve Signals

Signals	Associated actions	Signals	Associated actions
BOROZDA 969		JAKOR’ 542
LETUChKA 512		ZASLON 469

Temporary Deputy Chief of the Operative Division

Area map

The map shows the area most probably around the mentioned locations Snihurivka (Russian Snigerevka), and the Inhulets river (called chanel in the table). Each of the map quadrants have special codenames, mainly animal names. These are used for targeting orders.

Signal Glossary Page 3

REPORT SITUATION – WEATHER

SITUATION NORMAL – SOLNICHNEJa (Suny) (555) 

ARTILLERY STRIKE – INTENSIVE – DOZHD (RAIN)

ARTILLERY STRIKE PERIODICAL – PEREMENAJA OBLACHNOST (changing cloudy)

MULTIPLE GUNFIRE – GROM (thunder)

CANON FIRE -MOLNIJa (lightning)

 

Approximately – 150 mm -15

Approximately 120 mm  -12

Approximately 100 mm  -10

 

MULTIPLE ROCKET LAUNCHER (GRAD) FIRE

REPORT THE TARGET COORDINATES – KVADRAT (kvadrant) 

SURVEILLANCE – BLESK (GLOW)

BREAKDOWN – SALUT (Salute)

ENEMY AIR ATTACK – TUChA (STORM)

Airplane – AIST (Stark)

Helicopter – DROZD (blackbird)

FRIENDLY ARTILLERY FIRE – VETER (WIND)

ENEMY UAF – SHERSHEN (hornet)

FRIENDLY UAF IN ACTION – PLEChKA (bee)

FRIENDLY UNITS – ChISTIE (clear)

IN COVER – PODVAL, YAMA (underground, mud)

TIME – VEKTOR (Vector)

REPORT THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICAL POWER BLOCK- ShtAKET (fencing)

REPORT THE LEFTOVER OF THE ELECTRICAL POWER BLOCK TsITRUS (citrus) 

CHANGE OF THE FIRING POSITION – TABAK (tobacco) 

STOP – PIRS (PIER)

MOVE TO THE DESIGNATED BOUNDARIES – LENTA (51,300,100,200,34)

ARRIVE AT THE DESIGNATED LOCATION – DOROGA (road)

COMMANDER GATHERING – ChAINIK 130 

RADIO GAME (DECEPTION)

Start – TELEPEREDAChA 

End – VREMJA 

LOSSES – ShKAFF (closet)

Irreplaceable- Shkaff 200

Wounded – Shkaff 700

Deserters – Shkaff 500

Signal Glossary Page 4

S	N	E	G	U	R	O	Ch	K	A
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0

 

Horsepower – LISIChkA

BTR (APC) – BOROVIK

MT-LB – PODBERejOZOVIK

Anti-tank rocket – PcHELA

KAMAZ, URAL – MASLENOK

LIGHT PICKUP CAR – PAGANKA

PK MACHINE GUN – MUHOMOR

SPG – SEPARATOR

RPG-7 GOFRA

RPG (one shot) – MUFTA

30 mm – ZhOLUD

WATER – SUHARI

PROVISIONS – SOLOMA

AMMUNITIONS – SPIDRA

KNP (Krasnoyarskprodukt?) – STANCIJA

SUKHOI STAVOK (village in Kherson district)- RUCHEjEK 

Karlo-Marksa (village) – KORZINA

LUMBER – KLEVER

PLANK – PSHENITSA

MILITIA – TURIST

SHOVEL -GREChKA

SAPPERS- GEOLOGI

MINES – POMIDORI

ENEMY – GRAZNIJ

 

Translation made by M.Goldmanis