A massive fire at a Ukrainian-linked business in east London in March 2024 required the efforts of 60 firefighters to bring it under control, according to the London Fire Brigade.
On November 21, Jake Reeves, 23, pleaded guilty in a UK court to aggravated arson and receiving payment from a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors allege the attack was carried out on behalf of Russia's paramilitary Wagner Group. Reeves appeared via video link at Woolwich Crown Court.
The incident, which occurred on March 20 at an industrial property in Leyton, east London, has led to charges against six individuals. According to court documents, the targeted property was owned by a Ukrainian national, and the attack was allegedly orchestrated at the behest of the Wagner mercenary group, which the UK has designated as a terrorist organization.
Reeves was charged alongside five others: Jakeem Rose, Ugnius Asmena, Dylan Earl, Nii Mensah, and Paul English, under the recently enacted National Security Act.
Court documents indicate that Dylan Earl, who admitted to aggravated arson at London's Old Bailey in October, had direct communication with a Wagner Group handler and is accused of organizing the attack. Earl allegedly recruited and paid the others to participate. Mensah has pleaded not guilty to aggravated arson, while Rose has denied that charge but admitted to simple arson. Asmena has yet to enter a plea. Reeves’ sentencing will take place at a later date.
Following Earl’s initial charges, Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, described the case as a landmark investigation. "Not only are the charges authorized by the CPS extremely serious, but it is also the first time we have arrested and charged individuals using the powers granted under the National Security Act," Murphy stated.
The National Security Act 2023, implemented in December 2023, was introduced to counter threats from hostile foreign states targeting the UK's democracy, economy, and values, according to the UK government.
The investigation highlights the increasing use of the Wagner Group and similar entities as tools of international influence, sparking significant concern within the UK’s security community. Photo by Jackus2008 at English Wikipedia.