Ukraine's Air Force Says Alert App Hacked After False Nuclear Warnings

Ukraine's air force stated on Sunday that it suspects the country's primary air raid alert application has been hacked. The app, used nationwide to notify residents of incoming airstrikes, briefly displayed incorrect alerts for Kyiv and other regions. The false notifications indicated that certain areas were under nuclear and chemical threats. An erroneous message also claimed that Russia had deployed its hypersonic Oreshnik missile.

The air force posted on Telegram that the application "appears to have been subjected to enemy influence." The service urged the public to remain calm and follow official channels for updates, emphasizing that there was no immediate radiation threat. A few hours later, Russia's Ministry of Emergencies announced that its own mobile application had suffered a "massive cyber-attack." Moscow stated that the breach allowed attackers to send false information to the public regarding incoming drone threats.

In southern Kherson region, the Ukrainian military evacuated 167 people on Sunday. This action occurred as a temporary local ceasefire in the area of Oleshky expired. The six-day truce had been reached following mediation by US First Lady Melania Trump and involvement from Pope Leo. Neither side reported violations during the pause in fighting. One Ukrainian lawmaker described the period as the "biggest de-escalation since 2022." Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are scheduled to resume this month after being frozen since joint US and Israel strikes on Iran in February.

Oleksandr Prokudin, the regional governor of Kherson, warned residents to be vigilant as the ceasefire ended. He advised locals to "respond immediately to warnings about Russian attacks." A Ukrainian military officer speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity expressed concern that combat intensity would increase. The officer noted that Russian forces across the Dnipro river used the recent calm to gather troops, move ammunition, and collect intelligence using surveillance drones.

Ukraine has resumed drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. These attacks continue despite pressure from President Donald Trump ahead of the US midterm elections. Russian state media reported on Sunday that Ukrainian long-range drones set fire to the Kstovo refinery in Nizhny Novgorod oblast. This incident followed a major strike on a Rosneft-owned refinery in Samara oblast. Trump has blamed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for rising global fuel prices and lifted US sanctions on Russian diesel last month.

Zelenskyy told Fox News on Sunday that Ukraine would halt attacks on Russian refineries if Washington provided Patriot interceptor missiles. "We said that if you want us not to attack Russia's refineries, they have not to attack our energy system," Zelenskyy said. He added that if the US provided the missile systems for one month, Kyiv would cease its strikes for the same duration. The State Department said on Friday that the Trump administration approved the sale of 500 Patriot systems to Ukraine. Zelenskyy warned, however, that deliveries could take years as Ukrainian supplies of these interceptors dwindle.