UK court convicts 3 men of arson in attack linked to Russia’s Wagner Group

Attack connected instrumentality for Ukraine was planned by Wagner mercenaries connected behalf of Russian intelligence, prosecutors said.

A assemblage successful the United Kingdom has convicted 3 men of arson pursuing an onslaught connected an eastbound London warehouse that was storing Starlink satellite instrumentality destined for Ukraine.

Prosecutors had alleged that the onslaught connected March 20, 2024, was planned by agents of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, acting connected behalf of Russian subject intelligence.

Jakeem Rose, 23, Ugnius Asmena, 20, and Nii Mensah, 23, were recovered blameworthy of aggravated arson connected Tuesday astatine London’s Old Bailey court.

Jurors cleared a 4th man, Paul English, 61, who told constabulary that portion helium was paid to thrust the others, helium knew thing astir the fire.

Dylan Earl, 21, who was accused of orchestrating the attack, and Jake Reeves, 23, had already pleaded blameworthy to aggravated arson and offences nether the UK’s National Security Act 2023.

Prosecutors said Wagner utilized British intermediaries to enlistee the men to people an concern portion successful Leyton, eastbound London, wherever generators and Starlink outer instrumentality bound for Ukraine were being stored.

Authorities formed the arson, which caused astir 1 cardinal pounds ($1.35m) of damage, arsenic portion of a run of disruption crossed Europe that Western officials blasted connected Moscow and its proxies.

Ukraine’s subject often uses Starlink successful its effort to fend disconnected Russia’s invasion.

This undated handout photograph taken successful 2024 shows harm to the warehouse successful eastbound London [London Metropolitan Police via AP]

Commander Dominic Murphy, caput of Counter Terrorism Command astatine London’s Metropolitan Police, said the lawsuit was a “clear illustration of an organisation linked to the Russian authorities utilizing ‘proxies’, successful this lawsuit British men, to transportation retired precise superior transgression enactment successful this country”.

He said Earl and Reeves “willingly acted arsenic hostile agents connected behalf of the Russian state,” adding that it was “only by bully luck cipher was earnestly injured oregon worse”.

In this undated handout photograph taken successful 2024 and provided by the London Metropolitan Police connected Monday, June 9, 2025, authorities accidental Jakeem Rose and Nii Mensah tin beryllium seen soon earlier mounting occurrence to a warehouse successful eastbound London [London Metropolitan Police via AP]

Earl besides admitted to plotting to acceptable occurrence to a vino store and a edifice successful the upmarket London neighbourhood of Mayfair, arsenic good arsenic plans to kidnap their owner, Evgeny Chichvarkin.

Chichvarkin, an exiled Russian tycoon who has been vocal successful his disapproval of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the warfare successful Ukraine, told the tribunal successful a written connection that helium is considered “a cardinal force of the Russian authorities and received regular decease threats”.

Two different men were connected proceedings successful transportation with the arson and related plots.

Ashton Evans, 20, was recovered blameworthy of failing to disclose accusation astir violent acts relating to the Mayfair crippled but cleared of failing to archer authorities astir the warehouse arson. After Dmitrijus Paulauskas, 23, was cleared of both, helium burst into tears and nodded towards the jury.

Jurors were shown grounds from information cameras and of the arson Mensah filmed connected his phone, on with a connection helium sent Earl aboriginal saying: “Bro lol it’s connected the news.”

They were besides shown hundreds of messages among the men and betwixt Earl and a Russian recruiter.

Earl was the archetypal idiosyncratic to beryllium charged nether the National Security Act, which created caller measures to combat espionage, governmental interference and benefitting from overseas quality services.

Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said the convicted defendants would beryllium sentenced successful autumn.

Founded successful 2014, the Wagner Group has go Russia’s largest and astir notorious backstage subject company, with operations astir the world, including successful Africa, the Middle East, South America and Ukraine.

In 2022, Wagner enlisted 50,000 Russian prisoners to combat connected the beforehand lines of Russia’s penetration of Ukraine, of which immoderate 20,000 were killed successful the months-long conflict for power of Bakhmut successful eastbound Ukraine, the group’s laminitis Yevgeny Prigozhin said astatine the time.

In June 2023, Prigozhin was listed arsenic a passenger connected a backstage pitchy which crashed northbound of Moscow soon aft helium led Wagner troops who crossed from Ukraine into the Russian borderline metropolis of Rostov-on-Don, saying helium would combat anyone who tried to halt them.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies