Ukraine and Russia hacked by same cyberattack
Emergency alert apps in both countries sent false warnings of nuclear and chemical attacks on Sunday night, affecting millions of residents.
By Jessica Abebe ·
Ukrainian and Russian emergency alert applications were compromised on Sunday night, causing both governments to issue false alerts to their citizens. The attacks occurred hours apart, targeting the primary digital channels used by the public to monitor incoming military threats.
In Ukraine, the Air Alert app began sending erroneous messages at 10:47 p.m. local time. The notifications warned users of radiation leaks, chemical hazards, and nuclear strikes, with some alerts claiming street fighting was occurring in Kyiv. The app is developed by Ajax Systems and Stfalcon with backing from the Ministry of Digital Transformation. At 11:02 p.m., the Ukrainian Air Force confirmed the alerts were fake, stating that the app had suffered hostile interference.
Yurii Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, clarified that the breach did not disrupt security operations. He noted that the Air Alert app is not connected to the country's military command systems. Developers for the app confirmed unauthorized interference and temporarily disabled push notifications to stop the false messages from reaching users.
In Russia, the Emergencies Ministry app was hacked at 2:45 a.m. Moscow time. The breach affected users in 33 regions. According to state media, the false alerts warned of nuclear warheads being launched and advised residents to stock food for three weeks and move to basements. The Russian ministry stated that attackers exploited a vulnerability in the app's administrative panel. Officials subsequently disconnected and isolated the affected services to contain the breach.
The cyber incidents coincided with a cease-fire agreement in Oleshky, a southern Ukrainian city occupied by Russia since 2022. The truce, which began on October 27, allows for humanitarian aid and civilian evacuation. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights commissioner, reported that both sides were observing the agreement and discussing further measures.
Residents in both countries relied on Telegram channels to verify the authenticity of the alerts. Many users in Kyiv reported checking these platforms immediately after receiving the app notifications to confirm the warnings were false. The Ukrainian Air Force shared updates on Telegram, urging the public to remain calm and follow official communications.
