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Official emergency warning apps hacked in Ukraine and Russia

Security2 min read

Official emergency warning apps in Ukraine and Russia were hacked. In Ukraine, the app wrongly warned of radiation in Kyiv, and in Russia, false messages were sent to people.

Two emergency apps hacked

Emergency apps send urgent alerts to people's phones, for example when enemy air attacks are coming. Officials said the official apps in Ukraine and Russia were hacked. On Sunday night, Ukraine's app "Air Alert" wrongly warned of radiation in the capital, Kyiv, among other things. The Ukrainian air force said the app may have been taken over by the enemy. It said there was no radiation danger. By Monday morning, the app was working normally again. Later that night, Russia reported a large cyberattack on its own warning app. Russian state news agency Tass said false messages had been sent to people.

Key facts

  • Ukraine's app wrongly warned of radiation in Kyiv on Sunday night.
  • Some reports say the Ukrainian app also wrongly warned of chemical weapons attacks.
  • Russia's warning website was briefly offline during the night.
  • Russia says its national warning system still works normally.
  • Russia has been attacking Ukraine for almost five years.

Who might be behind it?

Russia did not say who it thinks was behind its attack. The timing led some to think Ukraine may have struck back after the attack on its own system. This is only a guess. Russia has been attacking Ukraine by air, on land, and at sea for almost five years. Cyberattacks are part of this war, but they make fewer headlines.

Why it matters

Warning apps help people reach safety fast. If they are hacked, people may panic or not trust real warnings. Officials told people in Ukraine not to click on links in the warning app. Ukraine also keeps attacking Russian oil refineries. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says this is a response to Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy system. The US government asked Ukraine to stop these attacks because diesel prices were high. Zelensky asked for more Patriot missiles to defend against Russian attacks, but these are now in short supply.

What to watch

  • Whether Ukraine and Russia confirm who was behind the hacks.
  • Whether the warning apps are fully safe and working again.
  • Whether Ukraine gets more Patriot air defense missiles from its partners.
  • Whether Ukraine keeps attacking Russian oil refineries.

Glossary

Air Alert
The official Ukrainian app that sends air raid warnings to phones.
Tass
A Russian state news agency.
Patriot
A US-made air defense missile system that shoots down incoming missiles and aircraft.

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