Russia and Ukraine trade cyberattack accusations

Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of cyberattacks targeting emergency warning systems, raising fresh tensions as a temporary ceasefire between the two countries came to an end.

Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry said its public warning application had suffered a massive cyberattack on Monday. The hackers reportedly used the platform to circulate false information about potential threats, including incoming drone attacks.

The Russian ministry said technical teams were working to restore the system and address the disruption. Moscow, however, did not immediately identify those responsible for the attack.

The development came hours after Ukraine reported a suspected breach of its air raid alert application. The country’s air force said the platform had been subjected to hostile interference after false warnings about a radiation threat appeared. Officials stressed that there was no actual radiation danger.

Ukraine’s Centre for Strategic Communications, SPRAVDI, blamed Russia for the cyberattack, while air force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat confirmed that the warning system had been compromised.

The cyber incidents coincided with the end of a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine’s eastern Kherson region. The truce, which began on October 27, concluded on November 1 after Moscow declined Kyiv’s request for an extension.

Ukraine’s Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, described the pause as an important achievement in humanitarian cooperation between the two sides.

The temporary arrangement, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, had allowed humanitarian efforts to reach the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. The pause provided residents with a brief respite from the fighting as the war entered its fifth year.

However, Ukrainian officials warned that hostilities could intensify following the end of the ceasefire. A Ukrainian military officer said Russian forces had used the pause to reinforce their positions, transport ammunition and gather intelligence through surveillance drones.

Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin urged residents to remain alert and immediately respond to warnings of possible Russian attacks.

Meanwhile, fighting continued elsewhere, with both countries reporting fresh strikes. Russia accused Ukraine of targeting an industrial facility east of Moscow, while Ukrainian media reported an attack on the Kstovo oil refinery.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian energy infrastructure, describing the operations as retaliation for Moscow’s strikes on its power facilities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also indicated that Kyiv could halt attacks on Russian oil refineries if Washington provided advanced Patriot air defence missiles.

Speaking to Fox News, Zelensky said Ukraine would reconsider its strikes if Russia stopped targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure. He added that supplying Patriot missiles could offer another way to address US concerns over the attacks.

US President Donald Trump has urged Kyiv to stop targeting Russian refineries, linking the strikes to rising diesel prices, although analysts have attributed much of the increase to the conflict involving Iran.

Ukraine’s Energy Ministry, meanwhile, reported fresh electricity disruptions across the country, including in Kyiv, following Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.

The latest developments have further complicated diplomatic efforts to end the war. US-mediated negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv are expected to resume this month after being effectively stalled since the outbreak of the Iran conflict in February.