In a landmark case that has sent shockwaves through the United Kingdom's security establishment, six men have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their roles in a Russian-ordered arson attack on a Ukrainian-owned warehouse in east London. The blaze, which erupted on March 20, 2024, at industrial units in Leyton, caused £1.3 million in damage and targeted a facility that had been supplying critical aid to Ukraine, including Starlink satellite terminals. The attack is the latest and most dramatic example of what British authorities describe as a growing pattern of "shadow" operations orchestrated by the Russian state, using local proxies and criminal networks to sow chaos across Europe.
At the heart of the plot was Dylan Earl, a 21-year-old from Elmesthorpe, Leicestershire, who prosecutors say was recruited by the Wagner Group—Russia's notorious mercenary organization, proscribed as a terrorist group by the UK government. Earl, described by police as a drug dealer with clear sympathies for Russia's war in Ukraine, admitted to aggravated arson and the first-ever conviction under the National Security Act 2023, legislation designed to tackle threats that fall short of traditional espionage. He was handed a 17-year prison sentence, with a further six years on extended licence, on October 24, 2025, at London's Old Bailey court.
Jake Reeves, 24, from Croydon, played a pivotal role in helping Earl recruit the rest of the group. Reeves was also convicted under the National Security Act and for aggravated arson, receiving a 12-year sentence plus an additional year on extended licence. The remaining four men, each playing a distinct role in the operation, received sentences ranging from seven to nine years, with an extra year on extended licence for each. Nii Mensah, 23, from Thornton Heath, streamed the attack live; Jakeem Rose, 23, from Croydon, set the buildings alight; Ugnius Asmena, 21, of no fixed address, arranged the getaway car; and Ashton Evans, 20, from Newport, was involved in both the arson and a separate kidnapping plot. Notably, Evans also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and failing to disclose knowledge of the planned kidnapping.
According to the BBC, Earl's recruitment by the Wagner Group was as audacious as it was chilling. He reached out to the group via the encrypted messaging app Telegram, where he expressed eagerness to carry out a series of "missions" on British soil. His handler instructed him to watch the Cold War spy drama The Americans and use it as a "manual" for his activities. Within days, Earl was given his first target: the Ukrainian warehouse in Leyton. Courtroom testimony revealed that he was promised £9,000 for his role in the attack, though he was ultimately paid less for acting without his handler's final approval.
The fire itself was devastating, requiring eight fire crews and 60 firefighters to bring under control. The warehouse, owned by a Ukrainian national, had been a vital hub for sending goods—including Elon Musk’s Starlink internet terminals—to Ukraine, supporting the country's resistance against Russia's invasion. In the aftermath, police recovered videos of the blaze on Earl's phone, along with evidence of a sprawling criminal enterprise: a Russian flag, more than £20,000 in cash, and cocaine valued at £34,000 were found at a drug dealer's home. Earl also admitted to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of criminal property, with further evidence revealing cryptocurrency accounts and images of cash bundles estimated to total £175,000.
But the Leyton arson was just the beginning. After the warehouse attack, Earl and Reeves set their sights on an even more audacious plot: an arson attack on a restaurant and wine shop in Mayfair, and the kidnapping of its owner, Evgeny Chichvarkin, a wealthy Russian dissident and outspoken critic of the Kremlin. That plan was foiled in April 2024 when Earl was arrested in a B&Q car park in Leicestershire, just as he was preparing to strike again. Police found further incriminating evidence on his phone, including videos of the original warehouse fire.
Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, who presided over the sentencing, left no doubt about the gravity of the case. She described it as a "planned campaign of terrorism and sabotage" carried out in the interests of the Russian state. Her words echoed warnings from British intelligence officials about the evolving tactics of hostile actors. As reported by CNN, Ken McCallum, head of MI5, has cautioned that Russia is waging a campaign "to generate mayhem on British and European streets," with attacks ranging from arson in Poland and Lithuania to cyberattacks and acts of vandalism elsewhere in Europe.
Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Policing, told the BBC that Earl was "somebody working absolutely as an agent of a foreign state to sow unrest and commit crimes in this country." He added, "Russia presents a very real threat to our national security," noting that it is increasingly common for Russian handlers to contact individuals online and use them to conduct criminal activity on their behalf. This, experts say, is a dark twist on the modern gig economy, with hostile states offering on-demand work to a flexible, and often disposable, workforce.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis, responding to the sentences, underscored the government's determination to confront such threats. "The sentences sent a clear message that the UK would not tolerate hostile activity by foreign states," he said. Jarvis echoed the head of MI5 in warning those who act for foreign powers: "You are disposable and you will not receive your reward, just as these individuals found out." Frank Ferguson, head of the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division of the Crown Prosecution Service, called the prosecution "a pivotal moment in our national security efforts," highlighting the importance of the National Security Act in holding those who seek to undermine the UK's safety and security fully accountable.
The case has also drawn attention to the methods used by Russian intelligence and their proxies. Earl’s initial contact with Wagner came through a now-defunct Telegram account called "Privet Bot," which prosecutors said was used to recruit operatives for sabotage operations across Europe. Hundreds of social media exchanges, reviewed during the trial, offered a window into this new "gig economy" for state-sponsored sabotage. As Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s former foreign minister, told CNN, "You catch one and Russia easily replaces them with several others hired through Telegram."
For British authorities and their allies, the Leyton warehouse attack is a stark warning: the threat from hostile states is evolving, with local criminals and online recruitment replacing the old model of secret agents and elaborate cover stories. As the UK adapts its laws and security measures to this new reality, the message from the courts could not be clearer—such acts of sabotage and terrorism will be met with the full force of the law.
