Ukraine and Russia report hacks of emergency alert apps, spreading false warnings

"The air ​alert app appears to have been subjected to ​enemy influence," Ukraine's airforce said on Telegram 

Ukraine's Air Force said on Sunday that the public ​air raid alert app had been ‌hacked. Picture: Lise Åserud/NTB Scanpix via AP

Ukraine's Air Force said on Sunday that the public ​air raid alert app had been ‌hacked.

The app for a short time showed Kyiv and other areas subject to nuclear and chemical ​alerts and the threat of street ​combat. An erroneous message said Russia's hypersonic ⁠Oreshnik missile had been deployed.

"The air ​alert app appears to have been subjected to ​enemy influence," the air force said on Telegram. "There is no radiation threat! Stay calm and follow our ​updates on our channel!"

The abnormality later ​disappeared.

Ukraine's Ministry for Digital Transformation said the app was ‌not ⁠in operation, but other means of alerting the public were functioning as were air raid sirens.

In a separate event, the mobile ​app of Russia's ​emergencies ⁠ministry was hit by a massive cyberattack that resulted in the ​spread of false information to the ​public, ⁠state news agency TASS quoted the ministry as saying early on Monday.

It was not ⁠immediately clear ​whether the two incidents ​were linked.