British security personnel are looking into possible Russian ties to multiple arson incidents targeting locations associated with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, according to a report from the Financial Times on May 23, quoting high-ranking U.K. government officials.

Three distinct events took place at the beginning of this month, aimed at

Starmer

His family home in Kentish Town, north London, along with a vehicle and an old residence were also included.

Two individuals from Ukraine, Roman Lavrynovych and Petro Pochynok, along with a person from Romania named Stanislav Carpiuc,

have been charged

conspiring to commit arson with the intention of risking human life.

Prosecutors allege the men acted in cooperation with other unknown suspects. All three are in custody and are scheduled to appear in court on June 6, the Financial Times

reports

.

According to senior officials,

U.K.

investigators are examining whether Russian actors may have recruited the suspects. Authorities are reportedly assessing potential responses should evidence of Russian involvement emerge.

The British counter-terrorist police and prosecutors said the exact motive remains unclear, the Financial Times reported.

Western intelligence officials have warned about increasing

Russian sabotage operations

throughout Europe. Arson attacks have previously targeted others

EU countries

, raising suspicions of a coordinated

Russian

attempt to undermine the nations that back

Ukraine

against Russian aggression.

Recently, German authorities

have accused

three Ukrainian nationals of an alleged Russia-orchestrated plot of aggravated arson and bombing attacks on behalf of Russian authorities.

Poland also

accused

two other Ukrainian nationals of being involved in suspected arson attacks believed to be backed by Russia. The incidents took place in 2024 at an IKEA store in Vilnius and a shopping center in Warsaw.


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