A major international operation has struck a pro-Russia cybercrime group accused of launching disruptive cyberattacks across Europe and beyond.
The group, known as NoName057(16), is believed to have targeted municipalities and organisations connected to a NATO summit held recently in the Netherlands.
Codenamed Operation Eastwood, the crackdown involved law enforcement from multiple countries, including the United States, France, Spain, and Germany.
Europol, the European Union’s police agency, announced that over 100 computer systems used by the group worldwide were disrupted or taken offline.
Authorities also dismantled a large part of the group’s core server infrastructure, dealing a heavy blow to its operations.
The cyberattacks were mostly denial-of-service (DDoS) strikes, aiming to overload websites and shut them down temporarily.
The group has previously attacked institutions in Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland, often targeting countries that support Ukraine.
German prosecutors issued six arrest warrants for suspects believed to be operating from Russia, with two identified as ringleaders.
One suspect was arrested in France, and another detained in Spain, according to Europol.
In the US, the FBI also joined the investigation and enforcement effort.
NoName057(16) reportedly started by targeting Ukrainian institutions, but later focused on NATO member countries backing Ukraine.
Law enforcement also reached out to hundreds of suspected supporters, warning them of potential legal consequences.
Europol described the attackers as Russian-speaking sympathisers using basic tools, acting more from ideology than technical expertise.
The crackdown comes as cyberwarfare becomes a growing threat amid global geopolitical tensions.
