Two men have been jailed for arson attacks on property and a car linked to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The attacks were carried out on behalf of Russia, with one perpetrator recruited via Telegram.
The convictions highlight the risks faced by public figures and the potential for foreign actors to instigate criminal activity within the UK, raising concerns about national security and the manipulation of individuals for illicit purposes.
Two men have been jailed for their roles in arson attacks targeting property and a car linked to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, 22, received a seven-year sentence, while Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, was sentenced to two years imprisonment at London's Old Bailey Court.
Prosecutors stated the attacks were conducted on behalf of an unidentified person contacted online, with the BBC reporting Russian operatives were behind them, though British police found no specific evidence. The incidents occurred over five days last May, beginning with a Toyota previously owned by Sir Keir being set on fire in north London. Days later, two homes were targeted, including a property connected to Starmer that was rented out to his sister-in-law.
Lavrynovych was recruited by a Telegram user known as 'EL Money,' who promised him payment for carrying out the attacks. The judge described Lavrynovych as being 'easily bought' and of 'low level intellectual functioning,' acting as a 'pawn for some unknown cause.' The family of Starmer's sister-in-law were in bed during one of the house fires.