A Ukrainian national, Victoria Eduardovna Dubranova, 33, a.k.a. “Vika,” a.k.a. “Tory,” a.k.a. “SovaSonya,” has been indicted in the United States for allegedly supporting two pro-Russia hacktivist groups responsible for destructive cyberattacks worldwide.
Prosecutors say she helped carry out dozens of intrusions targeting critical infrastructure, including U.S. water systems, election infrastructure, and industrial control facilities, on behalf of CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn (CARR) and NoName057(16). The Justice Department alleges that both groups received financial and operational backing from Russian state entities, enabling them to conduct large-scale DDoS attacks and sabotage operations. Dubranova, extradited to the U.S. earlier this year, has pleaded not guilty to charges that could carry up to 27 years in prison.
The investigations, part of the broader FBI-led Operation Red Circus, have also involved coordinated international action by law enforcement agencies in 19 countries, resulting in disrupted servers, arrests, and charges against additional NoName members. As the U.S. continues to counter Russian-aligned cyber threats, the State Department is offering rewards of up to $12 million for information on key figures linked to CARR and NoName. Authorities say the cases highlight the growing threat posed by state-directed hacktivist groups targeting essential services such as water, transportation, and government systems.
