Fake nuclear threat alerts sent to mobile phones in Ukraine as hackers access emergency alert systems

Authorities in Ukraine and Russia confirmed their emergency alert mobile applications were struck by cyberattacks, resulting in false warnings of a nuclear threat being sent to users in Ukraine. The disruptions were not immediately linked, but Ukraine's alert service resumed normal operation after being temporarily suspended. Russian officials stated that hackers gained access to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry's mobile app, sending fraudulent alerts to 33 of Russia's 89 regions around 2:45 a.m. Moscow time on Monday.

The attackers allegedly used a vulnerability identified by the Russian Ministry to launch the breach. Ukrainian authorities attributed the attack to a hacking group called Hitcore, though their identity remains unverified. The Ukrainian alerts, written in English with spelling and grammatical errors, claimed there would be a nuclear threat across the country, referencing the "Oreshnik" missile.

One hacker claimed responsibility for the Ukrainian breach via a Telegram channel, but the claim cannot be independently verified. The false messages were in English, with spelling and grammatical errors, and in a mix of Russian and Ukrainian. Cybersecurity experts urge users to rely on physical alerts and monitor other emergency channels on social media while the cyberattack is resolved.