Russian Speaker Offered Payment for Arson Attacks on Sir Keir Starmer Properties, Court Hears
A Russian-speaking individual allegedly recruited and offered payment to Ukrainian men to conduct arson attacks on properties associated with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, a London court has been told.
Ukrainian nationals Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Petro Pochynok, 35, along with Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, are accused of targeting two properties and a car linked to Sir Keir. All three London residents deny the charges.
The trio faces charges of conspiring “with others” to damage property by fire between 1 April and 13 May 2025. Lavrynovych also faces charges related to damaging property by fire with intent to endanger life, or being reckless as to whether life was endangered, on 11 and 12 May 2025 at two North London properties.
On 8 May 2025, a car formerly owned by Sir Keir was found ablaze on a street he previously resided on in Kentish Town. Three days later, a fire was discovered at flats in Islington linked to Sir Keir. A further fire was found on 12 May 2025 at the entrance to Sir Keir’s Kentish Town home, which was being rented out at the time.
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC stated that “fires all involving property linked to the same person were beyond a coincidence.” He added that the vehicle and properties had been “targeted, and the acts of arson at these locations had been planned and directed, with those involved promised payment for their participation.”
Evidence presented included messages from phones linked to the defendants, showing communication “before and during the relevant period.” Lavrynovych was allegedly offered payment to set fires by a contact named ‘El Money’ on Telegram, who communicated in Russian. Carpiuc also reportedly communicated with ‘El Money’.
The jury was instructed that determining the identity or motives of ‘El Money’ is not part of their consideration, nor is establishing the defendants’ motivations beyond a financial one. It remains irrelevant whether the defendants knew the properties were connected to the Prime Minister.
