Residents in Kyiv received a series of unusual alerts late on Sunday, including warnings of radiation, a chemical attack and street fighting. The messages appeared over roughly an hour, unlike the usual notifications warning of incoming Russian drones or missiles.
The alerts included a radiation warning at 22:47, followed minutes later by a message about a nuclear alert across Ukraine and an incoming Oreshnik missile. Further messages warned of a chemical threat and street fighting in Kyiv. One of the alerts was written in Russian, which further suggested that the system had been compromised. An all-clear message was issued at 23:53.
Ukraine’s Air Force said on Telegram that the Air Alarm application had probably been subjected to hostile interference. It said there was no radiation threat and urged people to remain calm and follow official updates.
The reported incident was described as an apparent breach on an unusually large scale, affecting a key channel used to warn residents about missile and drone attacks and advise them to seek shelter.
Russian authorities later said their own warning application had also been hacked and taken offline. A Ukrainian hacker group claimed responsibility for sending fake alerts about nuclear warheads to users in Russia, although the available report did not provide independent confirmation of the claim.
The reported cyberattacks occurred as Ukraine and Russia also carried out strikes against targets including energy facilities and oil refineries. Strikes were reported in Zaporizhzhia and Odesa.
Separately, Belgium’s prime minister, Bart De Wever, was reported to be handing in his resignation after late-night coalition talks failed to produce an agreement on budget cuts. He arrived at the Royal Palace in Brussels to meet King Philippe, although local media said he could be asked to continue seeking a deal by a specified deadline.
Sources: The Guardian World.