The New York TimesThe New York Times

BBC revives shortwave radio dispatches in Ukraine, and draws ire of Russia.

By Tiffany Hsu

03 Mar 2022 · 2 min read

As Russia is trying to cut off the flow of information in Ukraine by attacking its communications infrastructure, British news outlet BBC is revisiting a broadcasting tactic popularized during World War II: shortwave radio.

The BBC said this week that it would use radio frequencies that can travel for long distances and be accessible on portable radios to broadcast its World Service news in English for four hours a day in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, and in parts of Russia.

Sign in to informed

  • Curated articles from premium publishers, ad-free
  • Concise Daily Briefs with quick-read summaries
  • Read, listen, save for later, or enjoy offline
  • Enjoy personalized content
Or

LoginForm.agreeToTerms