British security services are investigating whether Russia may be involved in a series of arson attacks on properties linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
This is reported by the Financial Times, citing its own sources.
In this case, two Ukrainians and a Romanian citizen — Petr Pochynko, Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Karpiuc — have been charged with conspiracy to commit arson, which could endanger life. Police said the men conspired with “other unknown persons”. British officials are now investigating whether Russian figures may have recruited the three accused in the arson. They are currently discussing how best to proceed if this is confirmed.
The Metropolitan Police have not commented on the situation, nor has the government. The investigation is being handled by the Counter-Terrorism Unit, but the three suspects have so far been charged with ordinary criminal offences, not national security offences.
One government official warned that there are several versions of events that are still being verified, none of which are being ruled out.
The FT writes that Russia has been increasingly involved in sabotage and violent acts in Europe over the past year and a half, as the war against Ukraine continues and the West pressures Moscow with sanctions. The UK has been a strong supporter of Ukraine all this time — regardless of who is in power. But even if British officials decide that Russia is behind the arsons, this does not necessarily mean that the Kremlin did it or that the perpetrators knew about the connection with the Russian authorities.
Recently, Western intelligence agencies have revealed that Russia was planning to blow up planes, set fire to government buildings, disrupt transportation, and even assassinate prominent figures who support Ukraine. Richard Moore, the head of Britain’s MI6 intelligence agency, said in October last year that Russian intelligence agencies had “gone a little wild”.
There have already been cases of attacks on politicians. For example, in Estonia, Russian agents, through intermediaries, organized an attack on the car of the Minister of the Interior. According to intelligence agencies, Russia’s main goal is not to physically destroy anyone, but to create chaos, frighten society, and force European security services to waste their forces.
- The charges relate to three incidents over four days. According to the investigation, the men set fire to a car in Kentish Town, north London, Starmerʼs private home on the same street and another house where Starmer lived before becoming prime minister, which is now rented out. No one was injured, but the front door of one of the houses was damaged.
- Starmer himself said that the arson attacks on properties associated with him were “an attack on all of us, on democracy and the values we stand for”. The investigation is being led by the London police’s counter-terrorism unit, as the attacks are linked to a high-profile public figure.
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