Information
Three men, Jakeem Rose, Ugnius Asmena, and Nii Mensah, have been convicted at the Old Bailey of aggravated arson with intent to endanger life after setting fire to a London warehouse that supplied aid and satellite equipment to Ukraine. The attack, which caused about £1 million in damages, was directed by Dylan Earl and Jake Reeves, who had previously admitted orchestrating the crime on behalf of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group, designated a terrorist organisation by the UK government. CCTV footage and a livestream showed Mensah and Rose throwing petrol on the warehouse doors before igniting them. A lorry driver unsuccessfully tried to extinguish the flames. As the attackers fled, Rose dropped a large knife later found with his DNA. Another suspect, Paul English, was acquitted, while Ashton Evans was convicted of failing to disclose information about terrorist acts.
The court also heard that Earl had planned further attacks, including arson and kidnapping plots targeting a prominent Russian dissident, Evgeny Chichvarkin, who owns businesses in Mayfair worth over £30 million. Messages recovered from Earl’s phone revealed he had been in contact with the Wagner Group via Telegram and was eager to conduct additional missions, including using explosives. Earl became the first individual convicted under the new National Security Act of 2023, aimed at countering hostile state threats. Authorities emphasised that the case demonstrates how Russian state-linked actors are using British proxies to commit serious crimes, warning of severe consequences for those who engage in such acts on behalf of foreign powers.
Source: BBC
So What
A text book example of a greyzone operation carried out by Russia. While it is almost certain they will deny any involvement, this is a clear example of how Russia conducts these types of operations. While it is possible these charges will deter others, it is likely there will be more attacks carried out in a similar manner, at the direction of Russian intelligence.
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