Four men ‘torched Ukrainian-owned firm in UK on behalf of Russia's Wagner Group'
FOUR men accused of torching a Ukrainian-owned firm in the UK did so on behalf of Russia's Wagner Group, a court has heard.
Goods including Starlink satellite equipment were being sent out to
Advertisement
Around £1million in damage was caused when it was set alight in Leyton, East London, in March last year.
Paul English, 61, Nii Kojo Mensah, 23, Jakeem Barrington Rose, 23, and Ugnius Asmena, 20, are said to have started the blaze.
The Old Bailey was told that CCTV placed them driving to the scene in English's Kia Picanto.
Jurors heard Rose and Mensah were seen climbing a wall to approach the warehouse, while Mensah also livestreamed the arson.
Advertisement
READ MORE ON UKRAINE WAR
Prosecutor Duncan Penny, KC, said they were paid agents motivated by 'good old-fashioned greed'.
He added: 'They did not act alone . . . they were recruited by and directed by two others who have since admitted their role in the aggravated arson.
'This was deliberate and calculated criminality at the behest of foreign influence.'
Mr Penny said 'they may have been ignorant' that they had been recruited on behalf of the Vladimir Putin-controlled
Advertisement
Most read in The Sun
The four deny aggravated arson.
The trial continues.
Full devastation of Op Spiderweb revealed as new pics show Putin's jets in RUINS after drone blitz
1
Four men accused of torching a Ukrainian-owned firm in the UK did so on behalf of the Putin-controlled Wagner Group, a court has heard
Credit: AP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
At least four dead and 20 wounded in overnight Russian drone strikes on Kyiv
AT LEAST FOUR people have been killed and 20 people have been wounded after Russia fired ballistic missiles and attack drones at the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv overnight. It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed retaliation for an audacious Ukrainian drone attack on Russian airbases. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko shared the death toll on social media. AFP journalists heard explosions and air raid sirens echo out over the capital throughout the night. 'Kyiv came under another attack involving UAVs and ballistic missiles. Rescuers are responding to the aftermath at several locations across the city,' the State Emergency Service of Ukraine wrote on Telegram. AFP reporters saw a charred crater in the side of a high-rise residential block in Kyiv, with debris and broken glass strewn across the parking lot in front of the building. One image published by the head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office showed a children's playground scattered with rubble and shards of glass. Deadly attacks have escalated in recent weeks even as the two sides hold talks aimed at finding an end to the three-year war, triggered by Russia's February 2022 invasion. People rest in a metro station, being used as a bomb shelter, during the drones attack. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Tens of thousands have been killed, cities and villages destroyed across eastern Ukraine, and millions forced to flee their homes with Russia's forces controlling around one-fifth of Ukraine's territory. Advertisement Russia carried out a barrage of drone and missile strikes across Ukraine overnight on Friday, targeting not only the capital but western regions like Lviv and Volyn, which border EU and Nato member Poland. Retaliation Earlier this week, Putin told US President Donald Trump that he would retaliate to a Ukrainian drone attack that damaged nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases, including thousands of kilometres behind the front lines in Siberia. The brazen operation, 18 months in the planning, saw Kyiv smuggle more than 100 small drones into Russia, disguised in a false roof of wood cabins, park them near Russian air bases and then unleash them in a coordinated attack. The Kremlin said Thursday it would choose 'how and when' to respond. There was no comment from Russian officials on the overnight strikes today. Putin has repeatedly rejected a ceasefire and Russian negotiators have issued a host of sweeping demands on Ukraine if it wants to halt the fighting. Putin vowed he would retaliate after a Ukrainian drone attack damaged nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo They include completely pulling troops out of four regions claimed by Russia, but which its army does not fully control, an end to Western military support, a ban on Ukraine joining Nato as well as any Western military contingents or hardware being based in the country. Rescuers killed Multiple fires broke out in various districts of the capital, with the attack also damaging train tracks in the surrounding Kyiv region, leading to lengthy delays, the national railway operator said. Three of those killed were first responders from the state emergency service, Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said. 'They worked under fire to help people. Another nine rescuers were wounded. Some of them are seriously injured, and doctors are fighting for their lives,' he wrote on social media. Related Reads Trump-Putin phone call will not lead to 'immediate peace in Ukraine', US President says Ukraine says it destroyed more than 40 military planes in drone attack in Russia Seven killed after two bridges destroyed by 'explosions' in Russian regions bordering Ukraine Several strikes also hit western Ukraine's city of Lutsk and Ternopil region. 'Today, the enemy carried out the most massive air attack on our region to date. There are multiple strikes,' Ternopil's regional military administration chief Vyacheslav Negoda said. At least 32 people were wounded in four different regions, including 15 in Lutsk, officials said. Russia said Ukrainian strikes overnight on Russia wounded three people in the western Tula region. The Russian defence ministry said it downed 174 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 10 headed for the Russian capital, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. With reporting from © AFP 2025 Want to know more about what's happening in Ukraine and why? Check out our new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online. Visit Knowledge Bank Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Russia bombs Kyiv killing four & injuring dozens in missile & drone blitz as Putin plots revenge for Op Spiderweb
RUSSIA has launched an overnight missile and drone blitz against Ukraine, killing four in Kyiv. At least 20 others are injured in the Ukrainian capital as fires had to be put out around the city. Advertisement 4 Fire and smoke rise in Kyiv following a Russian drone and missile strike overnight Credit: Reuters 4 Ukrainian air defences shoot back against Russia's strike Credit: Alamy 4 A Russian bomb lands in Ukraine Credit: AP In Solomyanskyi district, a fire broke out on the 11th floor of a 16-story residential building. Emergency services evacuated three people from the apartment, and rescue operations were ongoing. Another fire broke out in a metal warehouse. In northern Chernihiv region, a Shahed drone exploded near an apartment building, shattering windows and doors, according to regional military administration chief Dmytro Bryzhynskyi. Advertisement Read more on world news He added that explosions from ballistic missiles were also recorded on the outskirts of the city. The nighttime attack came hours after US President Donald Trump said it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia fight for a while. The President has been so far unsuccessful on getting the two countries to agree to peace - with Moscow not moving on its demands. Trump spoke as he met with Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who appealed to him as the key person in the world who could halt the bloodshed by pressuring Putin. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun The American has also The US president heaped praise on Volodymyr Zelensky for his Russia's ambassador to the UK 'blames Britain' for Ukraine's daring drone attack & warns of 'WWIII risk' The Kremlin dictator held a Top of the agenda was reportedly the 117 drone blitz over the weekend which left four of Russia's key airbases up in flames. Advertisement The daring Operation Spiderweb saw a fired up Putin's 4 Firefighters work at the site of a Russian drone attack in Kyiv Credit: Reuters More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos . Advertisement Like us on Facebook at
RTÉ News
6 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Russian strikes on Ukraine capital kills four- Kyiv major
Russia carried out a barrage of drone strikes across Ukraine overnight, killing at least four people and wounding 20 in the capital Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said. "Kyiv came under another attack involving UAVs and ballistic missiles. Rescuers are responding to the aftermath at several locations across the city," the State Emergency Service of Ukraine wrote on Telegram. Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said four people have been confirmed dead in the capital, and 20 wounded - 16 of whom were hospitalised. Several fires broke out in various districts as a result of the shelling, including at a residential building, a civil infrastructure facility and a metal hangar. The shelling damaged train tracks in the Kyiv region, with Ukraine's national railway operator warning of 90-minute delays. Several strikes also hit western Ukraine's city of Lutsk and Ternopil region. "Today, the enemy carried out the most massive air attack on our region to date. There are multiple strikes," Ternopil's regional military administration chief Vyacheslav Negoda said. "We have begun extinguishing fires and assessing the damage and other consequences," he added. The shelling in Lutsk wounded five people. "We also have numerous broken windows in private homes, several educational institutions, and one damaged government facility," the city's mayor Igor Polishchuk said on Telegram. Buildings and cars were also damaged in the western city of Khmelnytsky, the region's governor said. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has vowed to take revenge following a recent drone attack by Ukraine on Russian soil, which destroyed billions of dollars' worth of nuclear-capable bombers. Meanwhile, Ukrainian strikes overnight on Russia wounded three people in the western Tula region. Russian air defence forces shot down a drone heading for Moscow, the capital's mayor said. "In total, an attempted attack by ten enemy drones targeting Moscow has been successfully repelled," Mayor Sergei Sobianin said. Mr Putin appeared to rule out a ceasefire or any direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader said that Russia had handed Ukraine an "ultimatum", demanding Ukraine fully pull out of four regions Russia claims to have annexed but does not fully control.
