A BBC investigation has linked Russia to a series of arson attacks targeting the home of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, alleging that Russian operatives directed a broader campaign of sabotage, provocation and disinformation in Britain.
The report follows the conviction of 22-year-old Ukrainian builder Roman Lavrynovych, who was found guilty on Monday of conspiring to commit arson after an attack on a property linked to Starmer.
According to the BBC, Lavrynovych appeared to have little knowledge of the significance of his target and was allegedly acting on instructions from an anonymous handler identified only by the initials “EL”.
In a message uncovered during the investigation, the handler told him: “Look, you attacked the home of a very high-ranking person in Britain. I’ll send you money, you need to leave the city.”
Lavrynovych was arrested within hours of the attack.
The BBC said its investigation found that the arson attack formed part of a wider operation that led “all the way to the Russian state.”
The broadcaster reported that the handler known as EL offered Russian citizenship in exchange for carrying out other attacks and expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The investigation identified EL as Evgeny Lyukshin, a 23-year-old Russian diplomat and the son of a senior Russian official. The BBC said it uncovered evidence suggesting Lyukshin had been trained in information warfare and maintained links to senior figures in Moscow.
According to the report, Russian operatives coordinated activities remotely through social media platforms and the messaging application Telegram. The campaign allegedly involved the creation of fake far-right and Muslim groups online, which were used to organise acts of vandalism in the UK and fuel division and fear.
The BBC also reported that Russia-based accounts circulated false claims about the motive behind the arson attacks, with some of the narratives later amplified by far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Responding to the allegations, the Russian Embassy denied any involvement.
The embassy said: “We reject any attempt to associate Russia or its foreign ministry with unlawful activities.”
It added that Russia poses “no threat to the United Kingdom or its people and harbours no aggressive intentions towards Britain”.
Lyukshin did not respond to questions from the BBC. However, the broadcaster reported that a propaganda channel linked to him disappeared hours after it sought his response.
The findings add to growing concerns among Western governments over alleged Russian efforts to conduct influence operations, spread disinformation and support destabilising activities beyond its borders.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
Follow us on:
