On October 24, 2025, a British courtroom became the stage for a chilling new chapter in Europe's ongoing struggle against Russian-backed sabotage. In a landmark case, five men were sentenced for their roles in a brazen arson attack on a London warehouse—a plot authorities say was orchestrated by Russian intelligence and the notorious Wagner paramilitary group. The sentences, ranging from seven to 17 years, mark the first time convictions have been handed down under the United Kingdom’s new National Security Act, brought in after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to address the modern realities of espionage and sabotage.
The attack itself, which took place in March 2024, targeted a warehouse in East London owned by a Ukrainian couple. The facility stored humanitarian aid and Starlink satellite communication devices destined for Ukraine—a lifeline for Ukrainian military and civilians alike. The fire, set in the dead of night, caused approximately £1 million ($1.3 million) in damages, according to The Associated Press. But the true cost, British officials warn, may be far greater: the attack was just one in a series of at least 25 arson or explosives plots across Europe attributed to Russian operatives since the war in Ukraine began.
At the center of the London case was Dylan Earl, a 21-year-old Briton described by prosecutors as the chief organizer and a “leading role in terrorist activities.” Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb, who sentenced Earl to 17 years in prison, called him a member of “numerous pro-Russia propaganda channels on Telegram and part of a pernicious plot organized by Moscow.” Earl’s involvement went far beyond a single act of arson; evidence presented in court showed he had discussed kidnapping the cofounder of the finance app Revolut, burning down a warehouse in the Czech Republic for £35,000, and even trying to recruit a serving British soldier to provide intelligence to the Wagner Group.
During the trial, the jury was shown messages between Earl and his Russian handler, known only as Privet Bot, who communicated with Earl via Telegram—often in Russian, with Earl relying on Google Translate. The Metropolitan Police later released an image of Earl holding up his passport to confirm his identity to Privet Bot, who is believed to be linked to Russian military intelligence. The handler’s instructions were chillingly direct: “Get access to bank accounts containing money destined for Ukraine,” and “We need those who are our kindred spirit.”
Jake Reeves, 23, was also convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in recruiting others to participate in the Wagner-backed attacks. According to CNN, Reeves pleaded guilty to arson with aggravating circumstances and to violating the National Security Law, introduced in 2023 to counter threats that extend beyond traditional espionage. Three other men—Nii Mensah, Jakeem Rose, and Ugnius Asmena—were convicted in July for aggravated arson and received sentences of nine years, eight years and ten months, and seven years, respectively. Ashton Evans, 20, was sentenced to nine years for failing to disclose information about terrorist acts.
British prosecutors and law enforcement officials have described the attack as part of a “sustained campaign of terrorism and sabotage on U.K. soil, carried out in support of a foreign power—the Russian Federation—and its war of aggression against Ukraine,” as prosecutor Duncan Penny put it in court. The warehouse attack in London was likely linked to a similar arson attack on a business owned by the same Ukrainian couple in Madrid just ten days later, a pattern that authorities say is becoming all too familiar across Europe.
European intelligence officials, speaking to The Associated Press, have warned that the risk of death or serious injury is rising as saboteurs directed by Russia set fires near homes and businesses, plant explosives, and build bombs. The goal, they say, is to undermine support for Ukraine, sow fear, and create conflict within European societies. “This offence was part of a series of European-wide sabotage operations,” Penny told the court, emphasizing the broader context of the attacks.
Authorities in Poland, Spain, and the Czech Republic have reported similar plots, with operatives often recruited online through social media and messaging apps like Telegram. Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesperson for Poland’s security minister, described a case in which a Colombian man was directed via Telegram to set fire to two warehouses in Poland before traveling to Prague to target public buses. The instructions were precise: locations, methods, timing, and the requirement to provide video evidence to Russian intelligence in order to get paid. “The goal of the arson attacks is to intimidate people, create conflict and to undermine European societies and support for Ukraine,” Dobrzyński told The Associated Press.
What’s striking, according to experts cited by CNN, is Russia’s increasing reliance on so-called “proxies”—local petty criminals or sympathizers, rather than well-trained agents—to carry out these acts of sabotage. This shift signals an evolution in hybrid warfare, where anyone with the right motivation or financial incentive can become a tool of foreign intelligence. Gabrielius Landsbergis, former Lithuanian foreign minister, likened the challenge to a game of whack-a-mole: “You catch one—Russia easily replaces them with several others, hired through Telegram.”
The British authorities’ response was swift and decisive. The sentences handed down on October 24 were the first under the National Security Act, a law introduced specifically to address the kind of foreign-backed threats exemplified by the London arson. “This case is a clear example of an organisation linked to the Russian state using ‘proxies’—in this case British men—to carry out very serious criminal activity in this country on their behalf,” said Dominic Murphy, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, as reported by Al Jazeera. “In recent years, we have seen a significant increase in the number of counter-state-threat investigations and the use of ‘proxies’ is a new tactic favoured by hostile states such as Russia,” he added.
In a sign of the broader crackdown, three men were arrested under the National Security Act on the same day as the sentencing, suspected of spying for Russia. The details of their alleged activities have not been made public, but the message from British authorities is clear: the country is taking the threat of foreign-backed sabotage seriously and is prepared to use the full force of new legislation to hold perpetrators accountable.
As Europe faces an evolving landscape of hybrid threats, the London arson case serves as a stark reminder of the lengths to which hostile states will go to wage their shadow wars. The vigilance of law enforcement and the resilience of legal frameworks will be tested again and again—but, as this case shows, they are not without teeth.
