Healthy processed event from Hybrid War Tracker
Headline: Two British men charged with helping Russian intelligence
Short Summary: In March 2024, a suspected arson fire broke out at a warehouse on Staffa Road, Leyton, London, affecting two parcel delivery businesses linked to Ukraine. Following investigation by Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism units, Dylan Earl and Jake Reeves were charged with helping Russian intelligence services by planning the attack and recruiting individuals to support fraudulent activities and arson to benefit Russia. The intelligence service is linked to the Wagner group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin. The charges include acts endangering life, assisting foreign intelligence, and aggravated arson. The UK government condemned Russian state-directed hostile activities on its soil, with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office summoning Russia's ambassador. Three other suspects face arson charges but not national security charges. All five are scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey on 10 May 2024.
Extended Summary: In March 2024, a suspected arson fire broke out at a warehouse on Staffa Road, Leyton, London, affecting two parcel delivery businesses linked to Ukraine. Following investigation by Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism units, Dylan Earl and Jake Reeves were charged with helping Russian intelligence services by planning the attack and recruiting individuals to support fraudulent activities and arson to benefit Russia. The intelligence service is linked to the Wagner group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin. The charges include acts endangering life, assisting foreign intelligence, and aggravated arson. The UK government condemned Russian state-directed hostile activities on its soil, with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office summoning Russia's ambassador. Three other suspects face arson charges but not national security charges. All five are scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey on 10 May 2024.
Two British men, Dylan Earl, 30, and Jake Reeves, 22, have been charged with aiding Russian intelligence services following a suspected arson attack on a Ukraine-linked business in London in March 2024. The investigation, led by Metropolitan Police counter-terror officers, links the men to planning a fire at a warehouse in Leyton and recruiting individuals to assist Russian intelligence by undertaking fraudulent activity and arson. The intelligence service involved was reportedly connected to Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner private military group. The warehouse fire was on Staffa Road, Leyton, targeting businesses affiliated with Ukraine. The accused face charges including preparing acts endangering persons, assisting a foreign intelligence service, obtaining material benefit from a foreign intelligence service, and aggravated arson. Three other suspects linked to the fire face arson charges but have not been charged under national security law. The UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office summoned the Russian ambassador over the allegations and condemned Russian-malicious activity on UK soil. All five suspects are due to appear at the Old Bailey on 10 May 2024.
This event describes Russian hostile activity via agents in the UK targeting Ukraine-linked businesses through arson and espionage assistance, constituting aggressor actions. It also references UK legal and counter-terrorism response actions including charges under new security laws, thus qualifying as a defense preparation event.
Add a source URL for enrichment
Prefer one-click submissions? Install the HWT Chrome extension from the Web Store. Get extension .