In brief
Ukraine’s air raid alert app sent fake warnings claiming nuclear and chemical threats and a hypersonic missile launch. Officials blame Russian actors, while Russia admits a cyberattack that spread false info. The incident came after a recently ended ceasefire in Kherson.
On Sunday, Ukraine’s air raid alert app sent a series of false warnings, including claims of nuclear and chemical threats to areas around Kyiv and a reportedly deployed hypersonic Oreshnik missile.
The Ukrainian Air Force said on Telegram that the app had “appeared to have been subjected to enemy influence” and urged people to stay calm, saying,
"There is no radiation threat! Stay calm and follow our updates on our channel."The message was posted by the Air Force at 12:45 a.m. local time.
Ukraine’s Centre for Strategic Communications followed up on X by blaming Russia for the hack that generated the erroneous alerts. The centre stated that the app had been hijacked by enemy actors.
Hours later, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry acknowledged that its own mobile app had been hit by a “massive cyberattack” and that the attack had “led to the spread of false information,” calling it a “security breach.” The ministry issued its statement on Telegram at 1:20 a.m. local time.
A separate app used nationwide to warn civilians about incoming Russian air attacks was reported to have been functioning normally, according to Kyiv authorities. The city‑specific app that focuses only on the capital also showed no disruptions.
The false‑alert episode followed the end of a short ceasefire in the Kherson region. The localized truce had begun on Thursday and was the longest pause in the war, ending on Sunday. The new conflict dynamics raised concerns about cyber and informational warfare in the ongoing Ukraine‑Russia conflict.
