Ukraine and Russia have both reported cyber-attacks on their emergency warning applications, sending false alerts that briefly raised fears of nuclear, chemical, and street-fighting threats. In Ukraine, residents began receiving fake red-level air-raid notifications at around 22:47 local time on Sunday, followed by warnings of radiation, a chemical attack, and fighting in Kyiv. The alerts were cancelled within an hour, and Ukraine’s air force said there was no radiation threat, blaming Russian interference. Hours later, Russia said its own emergency ministry app had also been hit by a “massive cyber-attack,” although it insisted the country’s wider public alert system remained operational.
The false messages caused understandable alarm, particularly in Kyiv, where residents are already accustomed to repeated warnings of drone and missile attacks. One resident, Olena, told the BBC that her first reaction was fear because she had prepared for blackouts and disruptions to heating and water, but not for a nuclear attack. She said later alerts written in Russian made her realise the application had been compromised, since official notifications normally arrive in Ukrainian. Ukraine’s emergency service urged citizens to rely on loudspeaker announcements and avoid clicking links from unknown sources.
A possible tit-for-tat attack
The nature of the messages has led cyber experts to suspect hacktivist involvement rather than a highly disciplined state operation. Some alerts were informal and provocative, while a newly created Telegram channel linked to one message quickly attracted more than 15,000 subscribers and spread anti-Ukrainian propaganda. The BBC’s cyber correspondent reported that dozens of hacktivist groups have emerged on both sides since Russia’s full-scale invasion, often using attention-grabbing hacks for political messaging. However, no group has officially claimed responsibility, and it remains unclear whether the two incidents were directly connected.
The near-simultaneous attacks have also raised questions about retaliation. Reports suggest Ukraine’s Trivoha app was compromised first, followed shortly by Russia’s emergency app, prompting speculation of a tit-for-tat cyber exchange. A Ukrainian parliamentarian said he could neither confirm nor deny Ukrainian involvement in the attack on Russia, while arguing that Russia was likely behind the intrusion into Ukraine’s system. Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov, said government digital resources face constant cyber-threats, though they did not directly attribute the emergency app incident.
The episode highlights how digital infrastructure has become a central battlefield in the Russia-Ukraine war. Beyond physical strikes, attacks on communications and warning systems can undermine public trust, create confusion during emergencies, and weaken civilians’ sense of security. UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the identity of the attacker was not yet known but that Britain was monitoring the situation closely, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described cyber-attacks as part of Russia’s broader warfare against Ukraine. As both countries continue exchanging strikes on energy and military targets, the hacking of emergency alert apps shows that the conflict is increasingly fought through screens as well as on the ground.
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