Fake nuclear threat alert sent to Ukrainians after emergency app hacked

Residents of Ukraine and Russia received fake emergency warnings through government-run mobile apps after the systems were hacked, authorities in both countries said. In Ukraine, some messages falsely warned of an imminent nuclear threat, while others claimed there were high radiation levels, a chemical danger and public disturbances in Kyiv. The attacks took place late Sunday in Ukraine and early Monday in Russia. It was not immediately clear whether they were connected. Ukraine temporarily suspended its app, which residents use to receive warnings about Russian missile and drone strikes, but said it was back online. Russia’s emergency situations ministry said efforts to restore its app were continuing. In Ukraine, the fake alerts appeared in English, Russian and Ukrainian, with spelling and grammatical errors in the English-language messages. One Russian-language notification warned: “There will be a nuclear threat across Ukraine. Do not worry, the Oreshnik is incoming,” referring to a Russian ballistic missile. A Russian Telegram channel linked to the country’s security services said hacking group Hitcore had claimed responsibility for the breach of Ukraine’s system. Though the claim has not been independently verified. There was little indication that the messages caused widespread panic in Ukraine. Social media users instead responded with humour, sharing images of pets and AI-generated apocalypse scenes. Ukraine’s air raid alert channel said “unauthorized parties” had interfered with the app and urged users not to click links in suspicious notifications. The country’s Center for Countering Disinformation advised residents to follow other emergency channels while the breach was being addressed. Ukrainian air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said in a television interview that the attack had not affected the country’s security or defence operations. In Russia, the Emergency Situations Ministry said a false alert was sent through its app at around 2.45am Moscow time across 33 of the country’s 89 regions. The ministry said it had identified the digital vulnerability exploited by the hackers and was taking steps to prevent another breach. It added that the wider public warning system remained operational through text messages, media broadcasts and municipal sirens and loudspeakers. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian government agencies faced a constant threat of cyberattacks, including attacks increasingly involving artificial intelligence. “All government bodies must take steps to improve the cybersecurity of our digital resources,” he said. The cyberattacks came as a limited ceasefire in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region expired on Monday. The arrangement, which began on October 27, had allowed humanitarian aid and evacuation missions into front-line areas, including the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky.