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A 22-year-old Ukrainian man stands accused of committing an arson attack on the residence of the prime minister, claiming he was coerced into starting the fire and did not intend to put anyone’s life at risk, a court at the Old Bailey has heard. Roman Lavrynovych, alongside fellow defendants Petro Pochynok, 35, also Ukrainian, and Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, a Romanian national born in Ukraine, faces allegations related to attacks on two properties and a vehicle linked to Sir Keir Starmer.
Lavrynovych explained to the jury that he believed the targeted property was unoccupied at the time of the fire. He maintained that he was compelled to carry out these acts by an individual he met online who communicated in Russian. “I did not want to endanger anyone’s life,” Lavrynovych stated during his testimony. He described how he was recruited by a Russian-speaking Telegram user known as “El Money,” who pressured him under threat to commit arson in order to secure funds for his father’s medical care in Ukraine.
The prosecution outlined that all three men, who reside in London, are charged with conspiracy to damage property by fire within the period from April 1 to May 13, 2025. Lavrynovych also faces charges of causing harm with intent to endanger life by setting fire to two properties connected to Sir Keir on May 11 and 12. Evidence previously presented included an offer of £3,000 in cryptocurrency to set fire to a Toyota car, which Lavrynovych initially hoped to earn through legitimate means before succumbing to the threats from El Money. He recounted how after refusing the task, the threats escalated: “His mood changed after I refused to do that job. He said he knew where I lived and who with and that I’d better do it.”
Lavrynovych further described his fear for both his own life and that of his grandmother and her elderly companion, who lived with her. He claimed El Money asserted a high-ranking position, possibly with political ties. The defendant also mentioned multiple people were involved in the communications from the “El Money” account, including at least one woman. This woman allegedly sent a message saying, “My husband will go and check it,” after instructing the setting of fire to the Toyota RAV4. Dissatisfied with the initial attempt, El Money demanded a more visually impactful act by directing Lavrynovych to set fire to a building on Ellington Street, a property once managed by a company in which the prime minister held a directorial and shareholder role. Lavrynovych was told the setting would resemble an office and was given a specific time when the building would be empty.
The incidents unfolded with a car previously owned by the prime minister discovered ablaze on May 8, 2025, in Kentish Town, north London. Shortly thereafter, on May 11, a fire broke out at nearby flats in Islington linked to Sir Keir. On May 12, fire was started at the front entrance of Sir Keir’s house in Kentish Town, where his sister-in-law and her family were residing at the time. Following this final arson, Lavrynovych received a message from El Money warning that he had attacked “the home of a very high-ranking person in Britain” and advising him to leave the city, accompanied by a promise of payment. The defendant was arrested within hours.
The other accused men, Stanislav Carpiuc from Romford, east London, and Petro Pochynok from Islington, north London, have not yet given their testimonies. All three men plead not guilty. The trial is ongoing
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