Two men convicted over arson plot targeting UK PM Starmer properties

Two men have been convicted of conspiring to carry out arson attacks on property and a car connected to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Romanian citizen Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, were found guilty at London's Old Bailey Court. Petro Pochynok, 35, was acquitted of the same charge.

Lavrynovych was also convicted of two counts of committing arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, targeting a house connected to Starmer, another property where he had previously lived, and a blaze involving a Toyota car that once belonged to the British leader. The jury heard that the three men were offered payment to carry out the attacks by an account on Telegram using the name 'EL Money', which contacted him in both Russian and Ukrainian.

Lavrynovych stated he had never heard of Keir Starmer and had no interest in British politics. British security officials are reportedly investigating potential Russian involvement in the arson attacks, though prosecutors did not state who or what entity was believed to be behind the 'EL Money' account.