Zelensky confirms retaliatory strike
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Nov. 2 that Ukraine targeted Russian emergency alert systems following a cyberattack against Ukraine’s own civilian warning app. This retaliation came one day after the Ukrainian Air Alert app sent false warnings of nuclear, chemical, and street-fighting threats to users across the country. Late on Nov. 1, the Air Alert app, which provides vital updates to citizens about incoming Russian strikes, was hacked. One false message in Russian told users, "Hi! A nuclear alert is about to go off all across Ukraine! Don’t worry, the Oreshnik is on its way." Zelensky told PBS NewsHour that Ukraine only responds to attacks and noted that the Russian strike on the Air Alert app was a "personal attack against our people, civilians," after the intelligence made it clear that it was aimed at the population. Ukraine restored app operations in the early hours of Nov. 2 but suspended the display of targets. Zelensky said the Russian strikes on banking systems, pensions, and social support are part of the hundreds and thousands of attacks made by Russia. He added that these attacks aim to "make chaos in Ukraine, in all our cities." Zelensky said, "It was a cyber attack," regarding the Air Alert system hack.
Russian alert systems compromised
Russian air raid alert systems showed signs of being compromised hours after the false warnings hit Ukrainian phones. Messages sent to users claimed that "nuclear warheads" had been "launched across all regions of Russia" and told people to hide in basements and "stock up with food for three weeks." The Russian Ministry of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief issued a statement saying its mobile app was subjected to a massive cyberattack that allowed attackers to send fake information to the public. In September, AI company Anthropic reported that Russia has been using Claude AI in cyberattacks against Ukraine and Europe to target various government ministries and the WhatsApp accounts of high-level officials. This follows an April incident where a Russian-linked group hacked more than 170 email accounts of investigators and prosecutors across Ukraine over several months. The Air Alert app, which provides vital updates to citizens about incoming Russian strikes, remains a target in these ongoing, continuous digital conflicts.
