U.S. Charges Ukrainian National for Role in Russian Cyber Army Attacks on Critical Infrastructure

The U.S. Department of Justice charged Ukrainian national Victoria Dubranova for her involvement with the Russian-backed Cyber Army of Russia (CARR) and the group NoName057(16). Dubranova, 34, was extradited to the U.S. in early 2025 and pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to tamper with a public water system and damaging protected computers.

The grand jury indictment, filed in January 2025, highlights CARR's systematic attacks on critical infrastructure, including SCADA systems controlling water supplies and food processing facilities. Key incidents include a January 2024 attack on Texas water systems causing significant water loss and a November 2024 attack that compromised a meat packing facility in California, resulting in substantial damages.

CARR's operations reflect a shift from DDoS attacks to destructive intrusions, raising concerns about vulnerabilities in U.S. critical infrastructure. The case is part of Operation Red Circus, targeting Russian cyber operations globally.