A BBC investigation has alleged that the arson attack targeting property linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer formed part of a much wider Russian-backed campaign designed to spread division, provoke unrest and destabilise British society.
The investigation centres on 22-year-old Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, who was convicted on Monday of conspiracy to commit arson after a series of attacks on properties connected to the Prime Minister. Prosecutors said Lavrynovych was directed by an anonymous online handler known only as “EL”, who allegedly recruited him through Telegram and paid him to carry out a range of increasingly serious criminal acts.
According to messages obtained by the BBC, EL encouraged attacks, promoted pro-Kremlin narratives and even offered Russian citizenship as a reward for carrying out acts of sabotage.
The BBC claims evidence points towards EL being Evgeny Lyukshin, a 23-year-old Russian diplomat-in-training with links to Russia’s foreign ministry and individuals involved in Kremlin-backed information warfare programmes. Lyukshin did not respond to requests for comment and the BBC says it has not been able to definitively prove he was the handler.
The investigation alleges that Russian operatives used Telegram and social media platforms to create fake extremist organisations posing as both far-right and Islamist groups in Britain.
One of those groups, known as “Direct Action UK”, presented itself as a grassroots anti-immigration movement but was allegedly operated by Russian-linked individuals. The group promoted anti-Muslim rhetoric, attacks on mosques and anti-government propaganda while offering money to carry out vandalism.
Several mosques and an Islamic school in London were subsequently targeted with Islamophobic graffiti after the group advertised payments for such acts. The BBC reports that the perpetrators were often motivated by money rather than ideology.
Researchers from anti-racism organisation Hope Not Hate and anti-Muslim hate monitoring group Tell Mama both concluded that Direct Action appeared to be linked to a Russian influence operation. Both organisations said they passed evidence to police before the attacks connected to the Prime Minister took place.
The investigation also uncovered a separate organisation known as the Takbir Foundation, which posed as a Muslim activist group. According to the BBC, the group paid people to spray Islamic slogans and graffiti in public places, apparently with the aim of provoking anti-Muslim sentiment and inflaming tensions between communities.
The BBC alleges that both Direct Action and the Takbir Foundation were part of the same strategy: creating the appearance of conflict between different groups in Britain while secretly controlling both sides of the narrative.
Following the arson attacks on property linked to Sir Keir Starmer, Russian-based social media accounts reportedly spread false claims that the suspects were involved in a personal scandal involving the Prime Minister. Those allegations were later amplified online despite there being no evidence to support them.
Security experts told the BBC that the operation fits a wider pattern of Russian “hybrid warfare” seen across Europe in recent years, where individuals are recruited online to carry out acts of sabotage, vandalism and disinformation while allowing those directing the activity to remain hidden.
Former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC that if Russia was behind attacks linked to the Prime Minister, it would represent a significant escalation against the British state.
Counter Terrorism Policing said investigators have not been able to conclusively identify the handler known as EL or establish who he was working for. Police added that they currently have no evidence proving the attacks were directly ordered by a foreign state.
However, the BBC reports that sources within British and Ukrainian authorities have privately concluded that Russia was responsible for orchestrating the operation.
The Russian Embassy rejected the allegations, stating that Russia poses “no threat to the United Kingdom or its people” and denying any involvement in unlawful activities.
Join the Discussion
Have something to say? Join the conversation!
Sign in to share your thoughts and engage with other readers.
Sign In Create AccountNo comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this article!