Ukrainian & Russian Emergency Alert Apps Hacked With Fake Nuclear Attack Warnings

Uknown hackers have perpretrated an incredibly cruel prank or action meant to sow mass fear and confusion within the Ukranian population, amid the ongoing war.

The country’s nationwide emergency alert mobile app was penetrated, and hackers sent residents in Ukraine’s capital urgent notifications of an impending nuclear strike. Some messages were shared in English, Ukrainian, and Russian. Hours after that, Russian systems were reported hacked as well, with similar messages issued. Someone is trying very hard to kick off WW3.

At one point the fake alerts also warned of a “radiation threat” and “chemical attack” amid “street battles” in Kyiv – and told citizens to immediately seek shelter, or else don’t go outside.

One of the messages also read, “Don’t worry, Oreshnik is coming” – in reference to Russia’s nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Ukraine’s government has since confirmed the hack and subsequent fake alerts, which understandably sowed momentary panic, also given citizens are already on edge due to almost nightly drone and missile strikes on the region.

Ukraine’s Digital Transformation Ministry later confirmed the hack, saying the app was temporarily disabled amid an investigation.

The Ukrainian Air Force and military also issued a message on Telegram stating, “The Air Alert app may have been compromised by hostile actors. There is no radiation threat!”

Some of the fake alerts screenshotted and shared by Ukraine national media (via AP):

According to The Guardian, some Ukrainians were immediately skeptical given the over-the-top nature of the warnings, while others were terrified over what might come next:

The app reported a high possibility of nuclear radiation late on Sunday. It also wrongly warned of a chemical threat to the Ukrainian capital and street-to-street fighting. The messages were written in English with spelling mistakes, as well as in Ukrainian.

Many residents ignored the alerts, which began shortly before 11pm local time, assuming that the app had been compromised. Others were scared. “I was briefly terrified,” one woman, Nina, said. “I lay on my bed and wondered what was coming.”

A message written in Russian also claimed Ukraine was about to be hit by Oreshnik missiles, which can carry nuclear warheads. The Kremlin has used the ballistic weapon three times before, hitting the Kyiv region, and the cities of Dnipro and Lviv.

A culprit has yet to be identified, and no one has claimed responsibility. The Ukrainian emergency app only said “unauthorized parties” had compromised it, and the app had been temporarily suspended, warning against users clicking on “suspicious notifications”.

Interestingly, The Guardian notes too that “Russian officials claimed hackers had also sent fake emergency alerts there after gaining access to the app of the ministry for emergencies, based in Moscow.”

Hours after the Ukrainian system was hacked, Russian systems were also apparently penetrated, and similar messages told Russians to take emergency measures…

Given the way the war has been steadily escalating, and amid Ukraine’s ongoing long-range strikes on key Russian energy and military facilities, it is understandable why local Ukrainians would already be very much on edge as they watch the skies above for inbound aerial threats.