Attack caused £1 million in damage, aimed to disrupt aid to Ukraine
London, July 7, 2025 — Three men have been found guilty of a Wagner Group-linked arson attack on a London warehouse supplying humanitarian aid and Starlink equipment to Ukraine, in what officials described as a state-linked act of sabotage.
Jakeem Rose (23), Ugnius Asmena (20), and Nii Mensah (23) were convicted at the Old Bailey for aggravated arson with intent to endanger life following the March 2024 fire at an industrial unit in Leyton, East London.
The men were working under the direction of Dylan Earl (20) and Jake Reeves (23), both of whom had already admitted to the arson, claiming ties to Russia’s Wagner Group—a private military company now proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
Warehouse Targeted for Its Ukraine Support Role
The fire, which caused over £1 million in damage, destroyed equipment and supplies destined for Ukraine, including Starlink satellite kits, which are vital for Ukrainian military communications.
“This was a targeted attack due to the warehouse’s connection to Ukraine,” said David Cawthorne, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter-Terrorism Division.
CCTV and livestream footage showed Mensah and Rose pouring petrol and setting the doors ablaze while connected via FaceTime to Earl and Reeves. A knife left at the scene by Rose was later matched to his DNA.
Plots Against Russian Dissident Discovered
During the investigation, authorities uncovered additional plots planned by Earl, including:
- Arson attacks on a Mayfair restaurant and wine shop owned by Russian dissident Evgeny Chichvarkin
- A kidnap plan targeting Chichvarkin, a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin
- Discussions involving explosives
Earl had communicated with Wagner-linked contacts on Telegram, expressing eagerness to undertake more “missions.” His conviction marks the first use of the UK’s 2023 National Security Act, aimed at addressing hostile foreign interference.
Other Verdicts
- Paul English (61) – Cleared of all charges
- Ashton Evans (Newport) – Convicted of failing to disclose terrorist activity
- Dmitrijus Paulauskas (Croydon) – Cleared on both counts of failing to report terror plots
Police: A Wake-Up Call on Foreign Interference
“This is a stark example of how foreign states use UK-based proxies to carry out serious criminal acts,” said Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command.
He added that the convictions should serve as a “strong warning” to others considering similar actions on behalf of hostile actors.
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