Six British citizens acting on behalf of the russian Wagner group have been jailed for setting fire to a warehouse in London where humanitarian aid for Ukraine was stored.
It was reported by the Guardian.
The court said the men were planning a "campaign of terrorism and sabotage" in favor of the russian state.
Dylan Earle, who played a leading role in the crime, was jailed for 17 years plus a further six years on parole. Jake Reeves, from Croydon, was sentenced to 12 years and one year on parole. These two are the first to be convicted of violating the National Security Act 2023.
Other defendants: Jakeem Rose (8 years 10 months), Nii Mensah (9 years) and Ugnius Asmena (7 years) were found guilty of felony arson.
Ashton Evans, 20, from Newport, was jailed for nine years for concealing information about terrorist activities.
The arson attack on a warehouse in Leighton last year, involving 60 firefighters, caused around GBP 1 million in damage. The court heard that Earle and Reeves directed the attack from the comfort of their rooms, acting on behalf of the russian federation.
The warehouse was chosen because it was used to send humanitarian aid and Starlink equipment to Ukraine. After a similar arson attack in Madrid, the investigation was transferred to the Metropolitan Police's counterterrorism unit.
During Earle's arrest, police found a video of the arson, correspondence with Wagner via Telegram, and plans for new attacks in London and the Czech Republic, including the possible kidnapping of russian dissident Yevgeny Chichvarkin. A russian flag, more than GPP 20,000 in cash and drugs were found in his apartment.
Recall that in Vilnius, the trial of a 17-year-old citizen of Ukraine accused of committing a terrorist attack - setting fire to the IKEA shopping center - has begun. The verdict has not yet been announced.
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