Russian diplomat recruited proxies to conduct arson attacks on UK Prime Minister Starmer’s properties as part of a hybrid warfare campaign involving online extremist groups and disinformation.

A covert Russian hybrid warfare operation targeted UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer with arson attacks as part of a broader sabotage and disinformation campaign. A Russian-linked handler, identified as Evgeny Lyukshin, a 23-year-old Russian diplomat trained in information warfare, recruited Ukrainian nationals to set fires on Starmer's properties and a vehicle. The operation used fake far-right and Islamist online groups to spread division and incite violence within the UK, glorifying Putin and promoting Russian nationalist and extremist narratives. Though UK police have not officially proven state involvement in court, security sources in London and Kyiv privately conclude Moscow orchestrated the attacks. Former UK defense secretary Ben Wallace described the act as a deliberate and significant escalation requiring high-level Russian approval.