Ukraine and Russia have both confirmed that their respective mobile applications used for public emergency alerts were compromised by cyberattacks immediately following the expiration of a six-day truce. The localized cease-fire ended Sunday evening in Olechky, a frontline city in the Kherson region, allowing for the evacuation of residents from an area plagued by landmines, drone fire, and severe shortages.
The Ukrainian Air Force announced overnight that its official nationwide application, which provides real-time warnings of Russian air strikes by region or locality, had been hacked. The Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communications (Spravdi) attributed this breach to Russia, noting the appearance of unusual alerts in Russian. Screenshots shared on platform X revealed messages referencing "Orechnik," a Russian missile, alongside false threats of nuclear radiation and chemical attacks.
Shortly after these reports, Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations stated that its own mobile application, designed to warn citizens of Ukrainian drone attacks and other dangers, was targeted by a massive cyberattack. The ministry reported on Monday that the breach allowed attackers to disseminate false information to the public. Officials confirmed that work is currently underway to correct the vulnerability in the app and restore normal operations, though Moscow has not immediately identified the perpetrators.
These digital incidents coincide with the conclusion of what is described as the longest cease-fire since the beginning of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Unlike previous partial truces, such as those observed during Orthodox Easter, neither Kyiv nor Moscow reported violations of this specific six-day agreement, which successfully enabled the evacuation of civilians from the besieged city.
Sources: Le Figaro.