Ukrainian radio hacked to broadcast fake news about Zelenskyy's health

On July 21, Ukrainian radio operator TAVR Media became the latest target of a hacker attack, resulting in the broadcast of a fake message that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was seriously ill.

The radio holding company oversees nine major radio stations, including Nashe Radio, Hit FM, Radio ROKS, KISS FM, Radio RELAX, Melody FM, Radio JAZZ, Classic Radio, and Radio Bayraktar.

State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP) reported:

In a post on Facebook, TAVR Media reported its servers and networks were targeted in a hacker attack and it's working to resolve the issue. The firm also emphasized that "no information about the health problems of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is true."

The false reports, which were broadcasted between 12 and 2 p.m., also prompted the President of Ukraine to say:

I have never felt as healthy as I do now.

In the same time, however, last month, the online bulletin broadcast of a Russian radio station, Kommersant FM, was suddenly interrupted to play Ukraine’s hymn and anti-war songs by anti-war hackers to protest against Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.