A Ukrainian man charged with arson attacks on properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer has claimed he needed money for his father's medical treatment, according to court documents. Petro Pochynok, 34, is one of three men accused of conspiring to set fire to two houses and a car associated with the Prime Minister. The attacks, which caused no injuries, have prompted an MI5 investigation into possible Russian involvement.
Pochynok, a fashion entrepreneur from Holloway, north London, was arrested in Chelsea on Monday. He appeared alongside Stanislav Carpiuc, 26, a Romanian national born in Ukraine, and Roman Lavrynovych, 21, a Ukrainian builder and aspiring model. All three deny the charges and have been remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on June 6.
The prosecution told Westminster Magistrates' Court that the alleged offending is 'unexplained' at this stage. However, Whitehall sources have disclosed that police and MI5 are probing whether the Kremlin ordered the attacks in response to Britain's support for Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied any link, calling the accusations 'false, unsubstantiated' and 'ridiculous'.
The Met's Counter-Terrorism Command is leading the investigation due to the Prime Minister's involvement. Sir Keir has described the fires as 'an attack on all of us, on democracy, and the values that we stand for'. The three men are charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.
