Hackers send fake nuclear threat alert to Ukraine emergency app

The app reported a high possibility of nuclear radiation late on Sunday, along with warnings of a chemical threat to the Ukrainian capital and street-to-street fighting. The messages, written in English with spelling mistakes and in Ukrainian, caused alarm among some residents while others ignored them, assuming the app had been compromised.

False Missile Claims

A message written in Russian claimed Ukraine was about to be hit by Oreshnik missiles, which can carry nuclear warheads. The Kremlin has used this ballistic weapon three times before, targeting the Kyiv region, Dnipro, and Lviv.

The Ukrainian emergency app acknowledged the breach in a Sunday post, stating "unauthorised parties" had interfered with its operation. It suspended the channel and warned users not to click on links in "suspicious notifications".

Ceasefire Breach

The fake nuclear threats coincided with Russia resuming attacks on Kherson, just hours after a ceasefire ended. During the truce, hundreds were evacuated from the nearby Kremlin-controlled town of Oleshky. A Russian drone hit a hospital at 7:40am, causing damage but no injuries.

Evidence suggests Russia used the six-day ceasefire to strengthen positions in Oleshky and rotate troops. Footage showed Russian soldiers deploying heavy equipment and delivering ammunition. The occupied city, just 3 miles from Kherson, had been difficult to resupply due to Ukrainian drone threats.

Military Assessment

According to Ukraine's 34th Separate Marine Brigade commander Dmitry Pulinets, Russian soldiers previously couldn't move in Oleshky neither during the day, nor in night, nor in bad weather. He noted that now they have this opportunity. And for the last few days this movement has been constantly happening.

Both sides hailed the ceasefire as a success, with Ukraine's ombudsman suggesting it could be repeated elsewhere. However, Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated there were no plans for another truce, calling it "standard practice" for army units to regroup.