Russia will conduct a nationwide test of emergency warning systems on Wednesday, turning on sirens and interrupting television broadcasts to warn the public of imminent danger, Reuters reported.

Moscow, view of the financial center of the Russian capital (Moscow city)Photo: Vitaly Belousov / Sputnik / Profimedia Images

The test, conducted for the first time in 2020, is part of a new initiative that requires authorities to conduct tests twice a year from September 1.

But he is intervening amid a war in Ukraine that has sparked the deepest crisis in Russia’s relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

At 10:43 Moscow time (07:43 GMT), sirens will go off and alert the public to an “Attention to all!” announcement, simulating what would happen in the event of a real disaster or disaster.

“After hearing the sounds of the siren, it is necessary to keep calm and not panic, turn on the TV, any publicly available channel or radio and listen to the informational message,” the message of the Ministry of Emergencies of Russia states.

“The notification system is intended for timely delivery of a signal to the population in the event of a natural or man-made threat or an emergency situation.”

And the USA is testing a public alert system

On Wednesday, the United States is also conducting a large-scale test of public address systems via cellphones and American radio and television stations.

The purpose of the US test is to ensure that the systems “continue to be effective in notifying the public in the event of an emergency, particularly at the national level,” according to a press release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Many other countries have also been testing crisis and disaster alert systems in recent years.

The tests in Russia coincide with the 91st anniversary of the creation of Russia’s civil defense system and follow nationwide exercises in August to practice actions and actions in emergency situations, Russian media reported.

The purpose of the tests in Russia is to evaluate the warning systems, train the personnel responsible for their launch, and increase public awareness, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported.