Cyberattacks Hit Air-Raid Apps in Ukraine, Russia — SkimNews
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- Ukrainian Air Force said Sunday evening that users of Ukraine’s nationwide app, which issues real-time warnings of incoming Russian air attacks, received fake nuclear and chemical threat alerts around Kyiv, potential street-combat warnings and an erroneous message saying Russia’s Oreshnik missile had been deployed; it said there was no radiation threat.
- SPRAVDI (Ukraine’s Centre for Strategic Communications) blamed Russia for the hack in a post on X, supplying a direct attribution after the Ukrainian Air Force had cited only “enemy influence.”
- Emergencies Ministry said early Monday morning that Russia’s emergency-warning app had suffered a “massive cyberattack” that spread false information on the system used to warn of incoming drone attacks; it did not identify the attacker.
- Kyiv authorities said the separate app specifically for the capital was working normally, even as the nationwide Ukrainian app sent false alerts.
- Kherson-region truce began Tuesday and ended Sunday in Russian-occupied territory and was described as the longest ceasefire of the war so far; the cyberattack announcements followed its end.
Why it matters: For Ukraine’s nationwide users, false nuclear and chemical warnings arrived Sunday through the app meant to provide real-time notice of Russian air attacks; Kyiv’s separate capital app still worked. In Russia, where false information spread early Monday through the drone-warning app, Telegram served as an alternate official channel for the Emergencies Ministry’s response.
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