Men Convicted of Arson Related to British Prime Minister

Two men were found guilty on Monday of conspiring to set fire to properties and a car associated with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Their actions followed instructions received from a Russian-language Telegram account.

The arson attacks targeted two houses and a vehicle, all of which were either owned or used by Mr. Starmer. These incidents occurred within a five-day period in May 2025.

Roman Lavrynovych, aged 22, confessed to receiving directives from a Telegram account operating under a Ukrainian alias that translates to “EL Money.” Lavrynovych faced conviction on two counts of arson, showing recklessness regarding potential endangerment of life.

Stanislav Carpiuc, aged 27, born in Ukraine and holding Romanian citizenship, was also found guilty for his involvement in the attacks. A third individual, Petro Pochynok, aged 35 and a Ukrainian citizen, was cleared of the conspiracy charges.

During the trial at the Old Bailey, London’s central criminal court, Lavrynovych revealed his unawareness of who Mr. Starmer was at the time of these acts. Working in construction and as a mover, Lavrynovych indicated he sought extra income upon being contacted by an anonymous social media account within a Ukrainian community in London in late 2024.

An image provided by the Metropolitan Police depicts a vehicle in flames, targeted during the attacks related to Mr. Starmer. Photo via Reuters.