Kathrine Frich
The warning was repeated multiple times, creating fear among riders.
The warning was repeated multiple times, creating fear among riders.
Hackers Trigger Nuclear Panic on Moscow Bus
Passengers on a Moscow bus were startled when an intercom announced an imminent nuclear strike by Ukraine.
The false alert urged everyone to rush to bomb shelters.
Officials later said the message was the work of unknown hackers.
Shocking Announcement Over Intercom
Video from bus 191 to Grachevskaya station captured a woman reacting to the broadcast.
It began, “Attention, attention! Ukraine is threatening us with a nuclear bombardment…!”
The warning was repeated multiple times, creating fear among riders.
Ukraine Has No Nuclear Weapons
The false alert ignored a key fact, Ukraine gave up its Soviet-era nuclear arsenal in 1994.
It has not developed any nuclear weapons since.
This was under the Budapest Memorandum, where Russia, the US, and the UK pledged to respect Ukraine’s borders.
How Many Buses Were Hit?
It remains unclear how many buses played the fake warning.
The hack affected services run by Transavtoliz, which operates hundreds of routes in Moscow.
The company’s network infrastructure is now under review.
Officials Urge Calm
A Moscow transport spokesperson said, “Audio messages that did not correspond to reality were played in the buses.”
Specialists are “checking the network infrastructure and eliminating the consequences of unauthorised access.”
Authorities stressed there was no threat and no reason to panic.
Putin’s Nuclear Rhetoric in the Background
The scare comes as Vladimir Putin continues to rattle the nuclear sabre in his rhetoric on Ukraine.
Earlier this year, he told state TV the need to use nuclear weapons “had not arisen” and added, “I hope they will not be required.”
Russia still possesses one of the world’s largest nuclear arsenals.
Alaska Summit on the Horizon
The incident occurred just days before Putin is set to meet US President Donald Trump in Alaska.
Talks are expected to focus on ending the war in Ukraine.
Russia’s invasion, launched in February 2022, has already cost more than one million casualties.
