Nuclear threats and street brawls: Russia, Ukraine report attacks on their emergency alert apps
Within minutes of a ceasefire lifting in Kherson, Ukraine’s citizens were pummelled with threatening notifications
Cyberattacks on emergency alert apps in Russia and Ukraine led to the dissemination of false messages about missile and nuclear strikes to the public on Sunday evening. Ukraine's alert app was breached first, with the country's Air Force promptly denying nuclear threats. The Air Alert app may have been compromised, according to Telegram communications.
At around 0030 UTC on Monday, Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that its app had also been targeted. Fake messages were sent to citizens' devices, cautioning against various fictitious threats, including street fights, chemical attacks, and radiation hazards. Russia did not directly attribute the attack to Ukraine but described it as part of a cyber war.
Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Affairs urged citizens to rely on primary channels like sirens, SMS messaging, and television and radio broadcasts for emergency alerts while its "Alarm!" app was temporarily offline.
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