Two men convicted of arson attacks targeting property connected to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer appeared to have acted under the direction of a Russian-speaking handler, known online as “El Money.”
Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, and another man, aged 22, were found guilty of conspiring to commit arson, including setting fire to a Toyota Rav4 formerly owned by Starmer and two residential properties linked to the Prime Minister. A third defendant, Petro Pochynok, 35, was acquitted. The attacks took place in north London last May and occurred during early hours while residents, including Starmer’s sister-in-law and her family, were asleep—posing a serious risk to life and leaving them traumatised.
The prosecution revealed that the arsonists were recruited online via Telegram by “El Money,” who promised £3,000 in cryptocurrency for committing the attacks and ensuring they made news headlines. Subsequent investigations traced “El Money” to a young Russian diplomat named Evgeny Lyukshinn, who operates under initials matching the online alias. Lyukshinn was reportedly trained in information warfare at the prestigious Moscow State Institute of International Relations, receiving specialized instruction from intelligence operatives close to Vladimir Putin.
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Further inquiries linked “El Money” not only to these attacks but also to a broader campaign of sabotage, disinformation, and social division within the UK. The Telegram user managed far-right and fake Islamic organisations that paid individuals to incite Islamophobic and pro-Islamist acts, fueling racial and religious tensions. He circulated pro-Russian propaganda and even shared leaked NATO and CIA documents, claiming insider access.
Although Counter Terrorism Policing London found no definitive evidence that “El Money” represented a direct state threat, Commander Helen Flanagan emphasized that the attacks were designed to instil fear in the UK community and target the Prime Minister by proxy. Both Lavrynovych and Carpiuc were seen as criminal proxies employed for financial gain rather than ideological reasons, according to authorities.
Following their convictions, the court awaited sentencing, with the defendants having claimed they were threatened and manipulated by “El Money,” who also initially instructed them to target an Islamic community centre with racist graffiti and distribute anti-Muslim leaflets for payment.
This case highlights ongoing covert attempts by foreign operatives to destabilize UK society through online manipulation and proxy crimes, leveraging extremist groups and misinformation to sow discord and fear.