Ukraine and Russia Hit by Coordinated Cyberattacks on Alert Apps

Cyberattacks disrupted mobile emergency alert applications in both Ukraine and Russia late Sunday, delivering false warnings to users in the capital cities of both nations. Ukrainian authorities reported that the attack caused the country's primary air raid alert app to go offline temporarily. Users in Kyiv received notifications claiming dangerously high radiation levels, chemical threats, and public disturbances.

The false alerts were written in English with spelling and grammatical errors, as well as in a mix of Russian and Ukrainian. One of the compromised posts referenced the hacking group Hitcore. A Russian Telegram channel connected to security services, Mash, reported speaking with Hitcore representatives who claimed responsibility for the intrusion. That claim has not been independently verified.

Ukraine's air raid alert channel announced the suspension of the app service in a late Sunday Telegram post. The channel warned users not to click on links contained in suspicious notifications. Authorities confirmed the app was restored overnight. The state-run Center for Countering Disinformation urged the public to monitor social media channels and rely on physical sirens while the breach was addressed.

Yurii Ihnat, a spokesman for Ukraine's air force command, stated that the cyberattack did not impact military security or defense operations. He told private television station 1+1 that the app is separate from military command systems. The air force continues to report real-time threats through independent communication channels, including popular social media platforms.

Russian officials confirmed on Monday that hackers gained access to the Russian Emergency Ministry's mobile app to send fake alerts. The ministry did not name the attackers. In a statement, the ministry reassured the public that the wider alert system, which includes SMS messages, media broadcasts, and municipal sirens, was functioning normally.

The cyber incidents occurred as a limited humanitarian ceasefire in the war-divided Kherson region expired at midnight at the start of Monday. The truce, which began on Oct. 27, was tied to an aid mission in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. It marked the most substantial pause in fighting since Russia's full-scale invasion began nearly five years ago.

Ukrainian authorities in Kherson reported multiple Russian drone attacks early Monday, hours after the ceasefire ended. A 62-year-old woman and a 73-year-old man were hospitalized with blast injuries in the city of Kherson, located across the Dnipro River from Russian-occupied territory. The White House stated that U.S. First Lady Melania Trump helped broker the truce, alongside civilian negotiators from both sides.

An estimated 2,000 civilians were in Oleshky when the temporary truce took effect. Residents could evacuate to Ukrainian or Russian controlled territory or remain in the city with replenished supplies. Exact evacuation totals were withheld to protect those who stayed. Ukraine's general staff said Russian military forces bolstered drone defenses and replenished ammunition supplies in the area during the ceasefire period.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, emergency services reported drone strikes injured 12 people in the eastern Kharkiv region. The attacks damaged a refrigeration facility, greenhouses, and residential buildings. In the Black Sea port city of Odesa, five people were injured when a warehouse was targeted and homes were damaged.