Ukraine Blames Russia for Bogus Air Raid Alerts in Kyiv App

Sunday’s chaos in Kyiv started with a glitch that looked a lot like a hack. Ukraine’s Air Force confirmed its air raid alert app sent out bogus messages. The false warnings claimed nuclear and chemical threats hung over the capital. They even warned of street combat. One alarming text stated Russia’s hypersonic Oreshnik missile had been deployed.

The Ukrainian military moved fast to correct the record. “The air alert app appears to have been subjected to enemy influence,” the Air Force posted on Telegram. They urged citizens to stay calm. “There is no radiation threat!” they insisted.

SPRAVDI, Ukraine’s Centre for Strategic Communications, did not mince words. They blamed Russia for the intrusion in a post on X. The national app is critical infrastructure. It warns people in real time about incoming Russian air strikes. A separate app dedicated to Kyiv kept working normally, according to local authorities.

Then came the twist. Early Monday morning, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry made its own claim. Its mobile app had suffered a “massive cyberattack.” The ministry said this intrusion led to the spread of “false information.” Two governments, two apps, two accusations of hacking.

This digital skirmish landed right after a fragile pause in fighting. A localised truce in Kherson just collapsed. It began on Tuesday and ended on Sunday. That was the longest ceasefire of the war so far. The end of that quiet period set the stage for these new hostilities. Both sides now point fingers across the border. The truth remains buried under layers of code and counter-claims.