Hackers Send False Alerts to Ukrainian and Russian Apps

Ukrainian and Russian authorities confirmed that their respective mobile emergency alert systems were targeted by cyberattacks late Sunday. The intrusions resulted in false warnings being pushed to users in both nations. It is unclear if the two attacks were connected. Ukraine stated its service, which residents use to find shelter from missile and drone strikes, was operational again after a temporary suspension.

Russian officials said Monday that hackers accessed the mobile app for the Emergency Situations Ministry. The attackers used the compromised platform to send fake emergency alerts. The ministry said it was working to restore the app’s full functionality. A Telegram channel reported that a hacking group named Hitcore claimed responsibility for the breach of the Ukrainian system, though this claim had not been independently verified.

Ukrainian users received messages containing errors in English, Russian, and Ukrainian. The false alerts claimed high radiation levels, a chemical threat, and public disturbances in Kyiv. One message written in Russian warned, “Hi! There will be a nuclear threat across Ukraine. Do not worry, the Oreshnik is incoming.” The reference to the Oreshnik missile, an intermediate-range ballistic missile, added to the confusion for those relying on the app for safety.

Ukraine’s air raid alert channel posted on Telegram late Sunday that unauthorized parties had interfered with the app. The channel advised users not to click links in suspicious notifications. The state-run Center for Countering Disinformation urged citizens to monitor other social media channels and rely on physical sirens while the issue was resolved. Yurii Ihnat, a spokesman for the air force command, told 1+1 television that the attack did not impact military command systems because the app operates separately from defense networks.

Russia’s Emergency Ministry stated that hackers used its app to broadcast a false alert across 33 of the country’s 89 regions at approximately 2:45 a.m. Moscow time. The ministry identified the digital vulnerability and said necessary measures were being taken. It reassured the public that the wider alert system, which includes SMS messages, media broadcasts, and municipal sirens, was functioning normally. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that state agencies face constant cyber threats, including those using artificial intelligence. He added that all government bodies must improve the cybersecurity of their digital resources.

In Kherson, a localized humanitarian ceasefire expired at midnight on Monday. Ukrainian authorities in the war-divided region reported multiple Russian drone attacks in the early hours. A 62-year-old woman and a 73-year-old man were hospitalized with blast injuries in Kherson city. The ceasefire, which began on Oct. 27, was part of an aid and evacuation mission in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. It marked the most significant truce since Russia’s full-scale invasion began nearly five years ago.

Ukraine’s ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said the oldest person evacuated to Ukrainian territory was 94 years old. He added that 104 pets, including four parrots, were also rescued. Lubinets, who led the civilian negotiations for the mission, described the effort as a “pilot model” for future operations. He expressed hope that the mission would add momentum to three-way negotiations between Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. officials expected this month. He cited the involvement of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump as critical to the cooperation, noting that many military and intelligence bodies were involved.

Lubinets described the mission as exhausting and complicated, stating that his team had to remain alert while crossing into Russian territory. “We are dog-tired,” he said. Approximately 2,000 civilians were in Oleshky when the truce took effect. They could evacuate to either Ukrainian or Russian-controlled territory or stay with replenished supplies. Exact evacuation numbers were withheld to protect those who remained. Ukraine’s general staff said Russia had bolstered drone defenses and replenished ammunition in the area during the pause.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, drone strikes injured 12 people in the Kharkiv region and damaged a refrigeration facility, greenhouses, and homes. Five people were injured in Odesa, where a warehouse and homes were hit. Russia’s Ministry of Defense said it shot down 212 Ukrainian drones overnight. Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev of Samara region said local air defenses were repelling an attack. Independent Russian media reported that Ukrainian drones targeted a major oil transport hub in Samara.