{"id":805,"date":"2026-06-16T08:07:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T08:07:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=805"},"modified":"2026-06-16T08:07:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T08:07:07","slug":"a-man-who-set-fire-to-homes-linked-to-starmer-is-in-jail-his-russian-speaking-handler-slipped-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=805","title":{"rendered":"A man who set fire to homes linked to Starmer is in jail. His Russian-speaking handler slipped away"},"content":{"rendered":"
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LONDON (AP) \u2014 The Russian-speaking handler, a shadowy figure known as \u201cEl Money,\u201d was not happy.<\/p>\n

Read more Sunken train station on infamous WWII \u2018Death Railway\u2019 resurfaces from Thailand reservoir<\/a><\/p>\n

A string of arson attacks<\/span> targeting a car and two London homes linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had attracted little attention, possibly because the then 21-year-old attacker, a Ukrainian recruited online, was not very good at documenting them.<\/p>\n

One video that was supposed to show Starmer\u2019s former car on fire lasted only seconds. The second, filmed in the dark, largely captured the repeated sound of striking matches.<\/p>\n

El Money wanted publicity and was prepared to pay.<\/p>\n

The attacker, Roman Lavrynovych, was found guilty Monday alongside his accomplice<\/span>. But the person \u2014 or network \u2014 behind the online persona of El Money has escaped public blame or punishment.<\/p>\n

The plot fits the description of Russian state-backed sabotage, said Cmdr. Dominic Murphy, who has spent two decades investigating such activities \u2014 including previous high-profile attacks<\/span> \u2014 and who oversaw the initial investigation into the fires before retiring in March.<\/p>\n

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But establishing Moscow\u2019s involvement is difficult. There is a difference between proving something in court \u2014 which could raise public awareness \u2014 and assessing such attacks in the context of a wider threat and often classified and incomplete intelligence.<\/p>\n

European officials say Moscow is exploiting that space as it carries out a sabotage campaign against European countries<\/span> that support Ukraine. The Associated Press has tracked at least 192 attacks across Europe since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine that include arson<\/span> and cyberattacks<\/span> as well as attempted assassinations.<\/span><\/p>\n

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When asked by AP in June if Russia is waging a covert war against the West, President Vladimir Putin brushed the allegations off.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are the specific facts?\u201d he said. \u201cWhat has been proven?\u201d<\/p>\n

The U.K. Home Office called the fires an \u201cabhorrent attack\u201d in a statement and said those responsible have been brought to justice. It did not respond to requests for comment about whether the British government blamed Russia. <\/p>\n

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Three arson attacks targeted property linked to Starmer<\/h2>\n

Lavrynovych was tasked with setting and filming the fires over several days in May 2025, according to evidence presented during his six-week trial.<\/p>\n

El Money recruited him online and sent detailed instructions, including the locations of the targets and how to mix flammable liquids from a hardware store.<\/p>\n

The attacks did not cause injuries or major damage, but the prime minister\u2019s sister-in-law, Judith Alexander, said she was left \u201cstruggling to breathe\u201d after smoke filled her house in the third attack. She and her family were staying at the residence, which had been Starmer\u2019s home before he became prime minister. <\/p>\n

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