UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s home targeted in Russia-linked arson attacks

Two men – Roman Lavrynovych, a 22‑year‑old Ukrainian, and Stanislav Carpiuc, a 27‑year‑old Romanian – were found guilty of conspiring to set fire to property linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The attacks, which caused smoke and left Starmer’s sister‑in‑law struggling to breathe, were allegedly directed by a Russian‑speaking online handler known as “El Money”, who is believed to operate from Russia and is linked to pro‑Kremlin hacktivist groups.

Starmer, speaking at the G7 summit in France, said the case demonstrates “bad actors” seeking to exploit division and destabilise UK democracy, and framed the arson as part of a broader Russian sabotage campaign against nations that support Ukraine. The UK Home Office called the attacks an “abhorrent attack”. Sentencing for the two convicted arsonists is scheduled for Friday.

The case adds to reports of at least 192 Russian‑linked sabotage incidents across Europe since 2022, including arson, cyber‑attacks and attempted assassinations, highlighting ongoing covert threats to Western states.