“The Clock Is Ticking” Bomb Threats Disrupt European TV Channels

 

“The Clock Is Ticking” Bomb Threats Disrupt European TV Channels  Source: US News and World Report.

On November 6, 2026, multiple European TV stations — including Ireland’s RTE, Britain’s Sky, and Bulgaria’s Nova TV — were evacuated after receiving hoax bomb threats warning “the clock is ticking,” causing hours of programming suspension and public disruption. 

Authorities confirmed that no explosives were found at any of the affected sites. The threats came via email, claiming that an explosive device had been planted in the station’s building and would detonate within 45 minutes. One message read:

“We want the whole world to know about us, which is why one of our operatives has planted an explosive device in your building. It will detonate in 45 minutes. The clock is ticking”

 The emails were titled “MESSAGE TO THE WEST” and signed by “Mikhail Andropov,” allegedly a leader of a group behind recent hoax bomb threats against flights across Europe. The name echoes Yuri Andropov, a former Soviet leader, and the title matches a biography of his.