Ukraine and Russia emergency alert apps hit by cyber attacks; fake nuclear radiation warnings sent to users — What we know | Today’s news
Emergency alert mobile apps in Ukraine and Russia were the target of cyberattacks over the weekend, with hackers sending users fake alerts, including false claims about dangerously high levels of nuclear radiation in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, a report said.
Ukraine’s airstrike warning channel said in a Telegram post late Sunday night that “unauthorized parties” had interfered with the app’s operations, forcing authorities to temporarily suspend the service, according to the AP. It advises users not to click on links contained in suspicious notifications.
An app that people across Ukraine rely on to receive warnings and find shelter during Russian missile and drone attacks was restored overnight, authorities said, cited by the news agency.
The false alerts reportedly included claims of high levels of nuclear radiation, a chemical threat and public unrest in Kyiv. They were written in English and contained spelling and grammatical errors, along with messages mixing Russian and Ukrainian, the AP reported.
One of the fake notifications referred to the hacker group Hitcore. Russia’s Mash Telegram channel, which has ties to the country’s security services, said it had contacted officials of the group that claimed responsibility for the attack, the news outlet said. The AP said the claims could not be independently verified.
Ukraine’s state anti-disinformation center confirmed the breach and urged residents to follow emergency updates via official social media channels and rely on physical alerts during app recovery.
Yurii Ihnat, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Air Force Command, said the incident did not affect the country’s security or defense operations because the app operates separately from military command systems.
In an interview with Ukraine’s 1+1 TV channel, Ihnat said the Air Force continues to communicate threat information in real time through independent channels, including popular social media platforms.
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The application of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations was also targeted
In a separate incident, Russian officials said Monday that hackers gained access to the Russian emergency ministry’s mobile app and sent fake emergency alerts to users.
The ministry has not identified who is responsible for the attack. It said the wider public warning system remains in place and the mobile app is only an additional service.
Emergency information continued to be disseminated through text messages, media broadcasts, city sirens and loudspeakers, officials said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian government agencies are constantly under threat from cyber attacks, including a growing number that involve artificial intelligence.
“All government bodies must take steps to improve the cyber security of our digital resources,” Peskov said.
A limited ceasefire ends in Ukraine’s Kherson region
Ukrainian authorities reported several Russian drone strikes in the war-torn Kherson region early Monday, hours after a temporary humanitarian ceasefire expired.
The localized ceasefire ended early Monday at midnight. It was connected to a humanitarian aid operation in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshkiy.
The truce began on Oct. 27 and the AP called it the most significant pause in fighting between Kiev and Moscow since Russia launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine nearly five years ago.
The White House said US first lady Melania Trump had helped broker a limited ceasefire. Civilian negotiators from Russia and Ukraine also helped arrange the evacuation of residents trapped in Oleshky in a rare joint operation that ended Saturday.
When the temporary ceasefire came into effect, there were an estimated 2,000 civilians in Oleshky. They were given the option of evacuating to territory controlled by either Ukraine or Russia, or staying in the city with food and medical supplies.
Authorities withheld the exact number of people evacuated, citing concerns for the safety of those who remained in the city.
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