“We retaliated against the attack”: Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian hackers breached the warning system of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations
Earlier, Ukraine's air raid alert app was hacked, and fake notifications about a nuclear threat were sent to the population. Shortly thereafter, a similar incident occurred in Russia as well.
“We responded to an attack”: Zelensky confirms Ukrainian hackers breached the warning system of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukrainian hackers launched a cyberattack on the risk warning mobile application of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia (EMERCOM).
In an interview with the American television channel PBS News, Zelensky said this attack was a response to a breach of Ukraine’s "Air Raid Alert" warning system.
“We simply responded to an attack,” the Ukrainian president said.
According to Zelensky, Russian hackers regularly carry out cyberattacks on Ukraine's banking, pension, social assistance, and other public service systems. The breach of the "Air Raid Alert" app was just one of hundreds, or even thousands, of such attacks.
On the evening of November 1, Ukraine's "Air Raid Alert" app was hacked. Fake alerts regarding radiation and chemical hazards, as well as the outbreak of street fighting, were sent to users.
Additionally, a message in Russian was distributed reading: “Hello! A nuclear alert is now being issued across all of Ukraine! Don't worry, the ‘Oreshnik’ is coming!”
On the night of November 2, the mobile app of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations also fell victim to a cyberattack. Fake notifications were sent to its users claiming that “nuclear warheads had been launched toward all regions” of the country.