Wagner Group Accused of Orchestrating Arson Attack on London Business with Ukraine Links

 

A high-profile terrorism trial has begun at London’s Old Bailey, centering on a group of six men accused of carrying out an arson attack in east London at the behest of Russia’s notorious Wagner Group. Prosecutors allege the plot targeted a business that supplied StarLink satellite equipment to Ukraine — a direct link to the ongoing war effort against Russia. The attack, they claim, was designed to serve the interests of the Wagner mercenary group, which the UK designated as a terrorist organization in September 2023.

 

The fire occurred on March 20, 2024, when two units at the Cromwell Industrial Estate in Leyton were deliberately set ablaze. According to prosecutors, the operation was no random act of vandalism but a coordinated strike ordered by Wagner operatives. “Earl was knowingly acting at the behest of the Wagner Group,” said Duncan Penny KC, the lead prosecutor, as he addressed the jury. He added that Earl “commissioned the arson attack on the warehouses,” describing the act as part of a larger campaign orchestrated by the Russian-linked military contractor.

 

Four men — Jakeem Rose, 23, Ugnius Asmena, 20, Nii Mensah, 23, and Paul English, 61 — stand accused of carrying out the arson. They allegedly livestreamed the attack, an act prosecutors say was intended both to intimidate and to showcase Wagner’s reach. The court heard how the inferno required the intervention of eight fire engines and sixty firefighters to extinguish.

 

Two other individuals, Ashton Evans, 20, and Dmitrijus Paulauskas, 23, are also on trial. They are charged with failing to disclose information about terrorist activity. The prosecution claims they not only had knowledge of the arson but were planning additional attacks, including arson on a restaurant and a wine shop in Mayfair. Even more alarmingly, they allegedly plotted the kidnapping of the businesses’ owner, a multi-millionaire Russian dissident.

 

These charges mark the first case brought under the UK’s recently introduced counter-espionage laws, which were enacted to address increasing concerns about foreign interference and state-sponsored terrorism. The Crown argues that the evidence linking the defendants to the Wagner Group is "overwhelming," and reflects a broader effort by Russian actors to disrupt support for Ukraine from within the UK.

 

All six men have pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include aggravated arson and withholding information regarding terrorist acts. The trial is expected to examine the defendants’ communications, online activities, and the nature of their connections with Wagner operatives.

 

As the case unfolds, it underscores the British government’s concern about hybrid warfare and the use of unconventional tactics — like cyberattacks and sabotage — to undermine Western efforts to support Ukraine. The outcome of the trial could set a precedent for how the UK handles future threats involving foreign state-linked entities and domestic collaborators.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Sky News | AP  2025-06-06

 

 

Deport them to Russia.

six names, six men, where does Earl appear?

dont deport them - imprison them they will get a heroes welcome in russia...

 

Just now, DTL2014 said:

dont deport them - imprison them they will get a heroes welcome in russia...

Maybe deport them to Ukraine would be more appropriate if found guilty

1 hour ago, Watawattana said:

Deport them to Russia.

 

Apparently, they were working for Russia!  They would probably be treated as heros if they were deported there!

13 hours ago, Social Media said:

Wagner Group Accused of Orchestrating Arson Attack on London Business with Ukraine Links

Hope they are sent down for a very long time.

From my musical perspective I do love the headline "Wagner (pronounced Vagner) accused of orchestrating".