Ukraine's air raid app hacked, sends false radiation warning

The fake alerts

• Radiation threat in Kyiv
• Nuclear alert across Ukraine
• Chemical attack on Kyiv
• Street fighting in Kyiv

On Sunday night, Ukraine's official Air Alert app sent a run of fake warnings within minutes, from a radiation threat in Kyiv to a chemical attack and street fighting.

"There is no radiation threat! Stay calm and follow our updates on our channel," the Ukrainian Air Force said within 15 minutes, though the all-clear messages took more than an hour.

— Ukrainian Air Force

Ukraine's Centre for Strategic Communications blamed Russia, and hours later Russia's Emergencies Ministry said its own alert app had been hit by a "massive cyberattack".

Why it matters

Kyiv cybersecurity expert Yevhen Baliutov said the impact was limited but the hack exposed the weakness of a crucial system that millions of people rely on.