Emergency alert apps used by residents in Ukraine and Russia were targeted in cyberattacks early Sunday, November 1. The intrusions triggered false warnings about air raids, nuclear threats and chemical attacks, raising concerns amid the war between the two countries.
In Ukraine, the public air-raid alert app began sending false notifications shortly before 11 p.m. local time. Messages named Kyiv and other regions and warned of possible nuclear and chemical strikes, as well as fighting in the streets. One claimed Russia had launched an Oreshnik hypersonic missile carrying a nuclear warhead and that a nuclear alert had been declared.
Ukraine’s Air Force said on Telegram that hackers had apparently compromised the system. It pointed to the alerts being sent in Russian, while Ukrainian is required for official communications. The Air Force said there was no radiation threat and urged people to remain calm and follow updates on its channel. Later, the app sent notices saying each reported danger had passed.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation temporarily suspended the app, but said other warning channels remained available, including air-raid sirens.
Hours later, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that the app of the country’s Ministry of Emergency Situations had also been hit. The pro-Ukrainian group Atesh posted a screenshot of a fake notification on Telegram and claimed responsibility for the intrusion. The message falsely said nuclear warheads had been launched at every Russian region and advised people to stock food for three weeks and seek shelter in basements. Its colloquial language, profanity and insults directed at Russia did not resemble an official alert.
Russia’s emergency ministry said the affected app was a supplementary information source rather than one of the country’s main public alert channels. It said specialists were working to restore the service and advised people to rely on the ministry’s official website and social media accounts.
Reuters said it could not verify who was behind the attacks. Residents in Kyiv told the agency they had not panicked. One said he was briefly surprised but soon suspected the alert was false; another said her main concern was for her children who might be nearby. The incident nevertheless showed that the attackers had gained some level of access to the system.
The attacks took place on the day a six-day local ceasefire ended in a small area of southern Ukraine. The pause had been brokered by U.S. first lady Melania Trump and was described as the longest since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Sources: Olhar Digital.