A major international law enforcement operation involving twelve countries, Eurojust, and Europol has successfully dismantled the notorious hacktivist group NoName057(16), responsible for dozens of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure across Europe.
The group, known for its pro-Russian stance and anti-NATO rhetoric, conducted widespread distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks targeting public utilities, arms factories, and government institutions. On 15 July, authorities launched a coordinated "action day," shutting down the group’s botnet and executing searches in eight countries, including Germany, Spain, Italy, and Poland.
The operation resulted in seven international arrest warrants, including for two alleged ringleaders residing in Russia. Over 100 servers used to conduct the attacks were taken offline, and 1,100 identified supporters and 17 administrators were formally warned of their criminal liability.
NoName057(16) had engaged around 4,000 global supporters through encrypted messaging platforms. Recruits unknowingly aided attacks by installing malware that made their devices part of the botnet.
The group carried out 14 attacks in Germany alone, some lasting days and affecting 230 organizations. High-profile targets included events such as the 2024 Peace Summit for Ukraine in Switzerland and the recent NATO Summit in the Netherlands.
In the meantime, the European Union has listed nine individuals and six entities for their roles in destabilizing actions targeting the EU and Ukraine. Among those sanctioned are Russia's state broadcaster RTRS, including its leadership, for replacing Ukrainian media with Russian propaganda in occupied territories. The 841st Separate Electronic Warfare Center and two senior officers were also sanctioned due to GNSS signal disruptions in the Baltic region linked to electronic warfare from Kaliningrad.
Three organizations, BRICS Journalists Association, Foundation to Battle Injustice, and Center for Geopolitical Expertise connected to figures like Yevgeny Prigozhin and Aleksandr Dugin, were listed for spreading disinformation and influencing public opinion against Western and Ukrainian interests.
Additional designations include GRU operatives, propagandists, and Yevgeny Shevchenko’s media company Tigerweb, which disseminated pro-Russian content targeting the West. Nathalie Yamb, a pro-Russian influencer linked to AFRIC and Russian mercenary operations in Africa, was also recently sanctioned.
In total, EU sanctions now cover 47 individuals and 15 entities, all subject to asset freezes, funding bans, and travel restrictions within the EU.
