LONDON (AP) — The trial of six men accused of arson at an east London business linked to Ukraine's war effort against Russia has commenced at London's Central Criminal Court, also commonly referred to as the Old Bailey. Prosecutors presented their opening statements on Wednesday, asserting that the evidence against the defendants is "overwhelming."
The incident, which took place on March 20, 2024, involved an attack allegedly orchestrated by agents of Russia's Wagner mercenary group. The British government has classified the Wagner Group as a terrorist organization, and prosecutors claim that the group recruited four individuals—Jakeem Rose, 23; Ugnius Asmena, 20; Nii Mensah, 23; and Paul English, 61—who are now facing charges for setting fire to an industrial unit in Leyton. This unit was reportedly involved in supplying StarLink satellite equipment to Ukraine.
In addition to the four charged with arson, two other men, Ashton Evans, 20, and Dmitrijus Paulauskas, 23, are facing charges for allegedly withholding information about forthcoming terrorist attacks. Prosecutors reported that the fire caused approximately £1 million (around $1.35 million) in damages. Furthermore, prosecutors detailed plans for similar attacks on two other businesses located in the affluent neighborhood of Mayfair—a wine shop called Hedonism and a restaurant named Hide. Both establishments are owned by an undisclosed Russian dissident who has openly criticized President Vladimir Putin and the ongoing war in Ukraine, and has actively delivered aid from the U.K. to Ukraine.
Prosecutor Duncan Penny described the attack as "deliberate and calculated criminality, at the behest of foreign influence." He explained that while some defendants may have been motivated by financial gain, others appeared to have been driven by political and ideological factors. The jury was informed that the attack was coordinated by Dylan Earl, 20, and Jake Reeves, 23, who have already pleaded guilty to aggravated arson on behalf of the Wagner Group. Earl has also admitted to plotting additional arson attempts targeting the Mayfair businesses.
According to Penny, Earl is believed to be the "architect" of the Leyton attack and had established contact with the Wagner Group through a Telegram messaging channel. He suggested that Earl expressed a willingness to undertake "missions," marking the Leyton arson as the initial incident. It is noted that Earl understood he was acting contrary to Ukrainian interests while serving Russian objectives.
Earl became the first individual charged under the U.K.'s National Security Act 2023, which provides new tools to combat espionage, political interference, and actions benefiting foreign intelligence services. This legislation has also expanded authorities' powers for searching and seizing property, as well as detaining and arresting suspects.
Penny emphasized the strength of the evidence against the accused, indicating that the jury will consider a variety of materials, including CCTV footage, traffic camera images, and mobile phone records. In a particularly noteworthy development, one of the suspects, Mensah, reportedly filmed the arson attack with his mobile phone and livestreamed it on FaceTime.
The proceedings at the Old Bailey are expected to shed light on the intricate network of motivations and influences behind the alleged attacks, highlighting the ongoing complexities surrounding the war in Ukraine and the involvement of foreign entities.
