Zelensky Confirms Ukraine Retaliated Against Russian Cyberattack by Hacking Moscow’s Emergency Alert App - Kyiv Post

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Monday, Nov. 2, that Ukraine retaliated against Russia with a cyberattack targeting its emergency warning system after hackers compromised Ukraine's widely used air raid alert app, sending false warnings of nuclear and chemical threats.

Speaking in an interview with PBS NewsHour, Zelensky said Russia was behind the initial cyberattack targeting an application millions of Ukrainians rely on for warnings of incoming Russian missiles and drones.

False warnings spread

The cyberattack against Ukraine's Air Alert app began late Sunday, Nov. 1, when users in Kyiv and other regions received alarming notifications warning of radiation hazards, chemical attacks and street fighting. One message falsely claimed Russia had launched an Oreshnik ballistic missile, a weapon capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

Ukraine's Air Force quickly dismissed the notifications, warning that the application appeared to have been compromised through hostile interference.

Russian app targeted

Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry subsequently reported a similar cyberattack on its own mobile application. Russian users received false notifications claiming nuclear warheads had been launched toward regions across the country, with some messages urging residents to stockpile food and seek shelter.

During the PBS interview, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine's cyber operation was a direct response to Russia's attack on a vital civilian warning system that helps protect Ukrainians from missile and drone strikes.