Ukraine’s Air Force has reported that the country’s public air-raid alert application was compromised in an apparent cyberattack.
For a brief period, the app incorrectly displayed warnings suggesting that Kyiv and other regions were facing a nuclear emergency.
The false alerts later vanished, with Ukrainian officials confirming the disruption on Sunday evening.
In a message posted on Telegram, the air force said: “The air alert application appears to have been affected by enemy interference.
“There is no radiation threat. Remain calm and rely on updates from our official channel.”
Asked by AFP whether the application had been hacked, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat replied: “Yes, it has been.”
The suspected cyberattack occurred just minutes after a temporary ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv ended in Ukraine’s eastern Kherson region.
The local truce, which began on Tuesday, had been the longest pause in fighting since the war began.
The false warnings appeared on Sunday evening, alerting Ukrainians to supposed radiation and chemical dangers. Pictured: A screenshot of the notifications issued in Ukrainian
The alleged cyberattack came minutes after a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv ended in the Kherson region. Pictured: Ukrainians embrace after being evacuated from the temporarily Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, in Kherson
The Ukrainian Centre for Countering Disinformation warned that the threat information being distributed through the application “does not correspond to reality.”
The nationwide app is used to provide Ukrainians with immediate warnings about potential Russian air strikes.
During attacks, residents may have only a few minutes to reach safety, particularly when ballistic missiles are involved.
SPRAVDI, Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications, accused Russia of being behind the apparent breach in a post on X.
Kyiv’s municipal authorities said a separate warning system dedicated to the capital continued to operate normally.
The BBC reported that the messages began appearing at about 10.47pm local time. The first stated: “Radiation threat. Radiation threat declared in Kyiv.”
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A second notification followed a minute later, saying: “Hello. There will be a nuclear alert across Ukraine. Do not worry, Oreshnik is flying.”
At 10.49pm, a third warning claimed: “Chemical threat. There is a threat of a chemical attack on Kyiv. Do not go outside.”
Seconds later, another message falsely announced: “Street fighting threat. Street fighting is taking place in Kyiv. Do not go outside.”
Several all-clear notifications were issued afterward.
The incident followed the end of a five-day truce in the eastern Kherson region. Ukrainian officials said the ceasefire expired on Sunday after Russia declined to extend it.
The unusual halt in hostilities, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump and launched early Tuesday, allowed a humanitarian operation to reach the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky as the conflict entered its fifth year.
Neither side reported breaches after the truce took effect. One Ukrainian lawmaker called it the “largest de-escalation since 2022.”
“The ceasefire, which was in force from October 27 to November 1, has ended,” said Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.
He described the pause as “an important step in our joint humanitarian efforts” involving Ukraine and Russia.
Around 2,000 civilians were believed to be in Oleshky when the truce began.
They were given the option of leaving for territory controlled by either Ukraine or Russia, or staying in the city after food and medical supplies were replenished.
Officials did not disclose the final number of evacuees or residents who remained, citing security concerns.
At Ukraine’s border on Saturday, relatives gathered in the hope of seeing loved ones, while people from nearby villages stood along the road waving flags and flashing lights as the humanitarian convoy passed.
Fighting continued elsewhere, including aerial attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Russia was still striking the country’s energy infrastructure ahead of the winter season.
US-backed negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are expected to restart this month after effectively stalling when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran in February.
