Residents Horrified as Hackers Seize Control of Emergency Alert System and Warn of Incoming Nuclear Attack

Shutterstock / Futurism Civilians on both sides of the Russo-Ukranian conflict became victims of some cruel hackers on Sunday, after both Ukraine and Russia’s national emergency-alert apps sent out fake warnings of impending nuclear attacks. According to the Kiev Post, the first hack came on Ukraine’s Air Alert app, a system used to warn millions of civilians of incoming attacks rising from the war with Russia. Air Alert was breached on Sunday evening, with the hackers using the access to broadcast fake alerts about impending radioactive and chemical hazards, on top of vague warnings of civil unrest in Kyiv. One example broadcast in Russian read “Hi! There will be a nuclear alert across Ukraine now. Don’t worry, Oreshnik is on its way,” referring to a type of Russian hypersonic ballistic missile. Officials soon shut the app down, making services unavailable. Soon after, Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry sent out a public announcement on Telegram, warning of a “massive attack” suffered by its own mobile app. In that case, users were warned to begin stockpiling three weeks’ worth of feed and to seek shelter immediately, as nuclear warheads were supposedly screaming toward “every region” of Russia. In Russia’s case, the hackers went even further, blasting their false alarms via regional emergency alert channels belonging to official government accounts. That attack was also short-lived, with Russian officials soon broadcasting that the “situation is under control,” and urging citizens to remain calm and avoid spreading false rumors. Where the hacks originated from is difficult to say. Ukraine’s Air Force reported only that it was fending off “hostile interference,” though any specific actor was unnamed. The fact that both sides were impacted points to a non-involved actor, though with the increasingly absurd conflict running into its fifth year, anything feels possible. More on hacking: Man Hires Swarm of AI Agents to Go on Epic Hacking Spree Against Major Companies