Ukraine and Russia Report Emergency App Hacks as Fake Alerts Warn of Nuclear Danger

False warnings reach Ukrainian phones

Messages began arriving at about 10:45 p.m. Kyiv time. They urged people to stay indoors and cited radiation, chemical danger and street combat. Ukraine’s Air Force said the country’s Air Alert app had likely been compromised and stated there was no radiation threat. The app’s creators said unauthorized interference had forced a temporary suspension, then described the incident as a cyberattack and began restoring service.

Many users appeared to take the alerts lightly, sharing jokes online. One person wrote on X that a dinosaur attack could have been added to the warnings.

Russia also reports an attack

Russia’s emergencies ministry said early Monday that its mobile app had faced a large-scale cyberattack and spread false information. The ministry later said the alert system was restored and working normally.

Russian officials did not identify who was responsible, referring only to malicious actors. The ministry also characterized the app as an extra source of information.

Ceasefire ends in Kherson

The app incidents took place hours after a temporary truce between Kyiv and Moscow ended in occupied Kherson. The six-day ceasefire had allowed hundreds of residents to evacuate Oleshky, where conditions had neared a humanitarian catastrophe.

The truce was brokered with involvement from Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV. The first lady praised both countries’ cooperation in a post on X and said she hoped the Oleshky agreement could support lasting peace.

Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said he was considering further humanitarian efforts with Russian counterpart Yana Lantratova. He said maintaining that cooperation mechanism was important.