Hackers hit Ukraine, Russia's emergency apps, send fake nuclear, chemical attack alerts
All-clear messages were sent shortly afterward for each alert, and Ukraine's Ministry for Digital Transformation said the app had been temporarily suspended.
Ukraine and Russia reported that cyberattacks had compromised their emergency alert applications over the weekend, disseminating false warnings about imminent air, nuclear, and chemical assaults. The false alerts coincided with the 6-day ceasefire, the longest since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine's public air raid application began sending alarms for Kyiv and other regions prior to 11 p.m. on Sunday, warning of radiation and chemical attacks, as well as potential street battles in certain areas.
Concurrently, Russia's state news agency, TASS, reported that its emergency app had also been targeted by a cyberattack, causing fake public alerts.
The authenticity of the source of these cyberattacks remains uncertain. Experts have previously linked such security incidents during the five-year-long conflict to activist hackers and intelligence agencies from both nations. Ukrainian authorities identified the alerts as likely originating from Russia, as the messages were broadcast in Russian.
The Ukrainian air force confirmed the alerts appeared to have been hacked by Russia, emphasizing that there was no actual radiation threat and urging citizens to remain calm and follow official updates on social media.
Ukrainian officials suspended the app temporarily and activated alternative alert systems, including air raid sirens. Amid the chaos, residents of Kyiv remained relatively unconcerned, with some attributing the alerts to a hacking incident. Meanwhile, Pro-Ukrainian hackers posted a screenshot of the Russian alert on their Telegram channel, mocking the message and urging Russians to stockpile food and shelter.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations downplayed the impact, stating that the compromised app was merely a supplementary source of information.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
