Ukraine and Russia Hacked Hours Apart to Warn Civilians of Fake Nuclear Strikes
False alerts about radiation and chemical attacks flooded phones in both countries on Sunday, forcing officials to scramble for verification.
By Andrew Bennett ·
Civilians in Ukraine and Russia received false emergency alerts hours apart on Sunday night, creating confusion as hackers targeted the primary digital tools used for wartime survival. The intrusions sent messages about nuclear strikes, chemical threats, and radiation to millions of phones simultaneously.
The Ukrainian attack began at 10:47 p.m. local time on Sunday. The Air Alert app, developed by Ajax Systems and Stfalcon, pushed out warnings of street fighting in Kyiv and a radiation threat. The Ukrainian Air Force responded at 11:02 p.m. local time, confirming the notifications were false. A Telegram message from the Air Force stated, "The Air Alert app appears to have been subjected to hostile interference. There is no radiation threat!" The Air Force urged residents to remain calm and rely on official updates.
Residents in Kyiv verified the alerts by checking Telegram channels, where the Air Force and security analysts share specific strike data. The developers of the Air Alert app stated that "unauthorized interference" had occurred. They temporarily disabled push notifications and the app itself to stop the false signals. Yurii Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, confirmed the hack had no impact on security operations. He noted that the app is not affiliated with the country's military command systems.
At 2:45 a.m. in Moscow, Russian authorities reported that their Emergencies Ministry app had also been compromised. False alerts reached users in 33 regions. The messages warned of "nuclear warheads" being launched across the country. They instructed residents to stock up on food for three weeks and shelter in basements. Russian media, which is tightly controlled, reported the details of the breach.
The Russian ministry said attackers exploited a vulnerability in the app's administrative panel. Officials disconnected and isolated the affected services to contain the damage. The dual hacks occurred against a backdrop of a humanitarian truce in Oleshky, a southern Ukrainian city occupied by Russia since 2022. The truce began on Oct. 27 and allowed aid into the city and civilian evacuations. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights commissioner, said both sides observed the agreement and were discussing further humanitarian measures.
