A BBC investigation has uncovered evidence suggesting that Russia was behind a series of arson attacks targeting properties linked to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, exposing what appears to be a wider campaign of sabotage and disinformation directed from Moscow.
The attacks, which included fires at a house owned by Starmer, a former residence, and a vehicle previously linked to him, were carried out by individuals allegedly recruited through social media and messaging platforms.
At the centre of the operation was Roman Lavrynovych, a 22-year-old Ukrainian builder who was convicted on Monday for conspiring to commit arson. According to the investigation, Lavrynovych was directed by an online handler known only as “EL.”
After one of the attacks, EL reportedly warned Lavrynovych that he had targeted a “very high-ranking person” in Britain and advised him to leave the city immediately. Police arrested him within hours.
The BBC says its findings point to EL being Evgeny Lyukshin, a 23-year-old Russian diplomat-in-training with family ties to senior figures in Russia’s foreign ministry. Messages linked to EL reportedly promoted Russian nationalist ideology, praised President Vladimir Putin, and encouraged acts of sabotage in support of Russian interests.
The investigation also alleges that EL was involved in running fake online groups designed to inflame tensions in Britain. These included a fabricated far-right organisation called Direct Action UK and a bogus Islamic group known as the Takbir Foundation.
Through these networks, operatives allegedly offered cash payments for vandalism, anti-Muslim graffiti, attacks on mosques, and other acts intended to deepen social divisions. The groups also spread propaganda online, amplifying fear and hostility within communities.
According to the BBC, the same network later exploited the Starmer-linked arson attacks by circulating false claims online about the motives behind the incidents. Some of those claims were amplified by prominent far-right figures and pro-Kremlin accounts.
Investigators say the operation fits a broader pattern of Russian-backed sabotage campaigns seen across Europe since the invasion of Ukraine. These operations often rely on recruiting young people through social media, offering money for seemingly minor tasks before escalating them into more serious criminal acts.
The Russian Embassy in London rejected the allegations, saying any attempt to link Russia or its foreign ministry to illegal activities was unfounded. The embassy insisted Russia poses no threat to the UK and has no hostile intentions toward Britain.
The Metropolitan Police have continued to investigate related incidents, including attacks linked to anti-Muslim hate crimes, while security experts warn that foreign-backed influence operations are increasingly moving from the online world into real-world acts of violence and disruption.
The BBC investigation concludes that the arson attacks on properties linked to the prime minister were not isolated crimes but part of a larger effort to spread fear, fuel division, and undermine confidence in British institutions.
