In Poland, three Ukrainian citizens have been convicted on charges of involvement in a series of large-scale fires in Europe. The court sentenced them to between one and five years in prison, reports RMF 24.
A Polish court found Serhiy R., Pavel T., and Vladislav J. guilty of committing crimes on behalf of Russian intelligence as part of an organized criminal group. Two of them, Serhiy and Pavlo, were also convicted of obstructing the investigation into the arson of the IKEA store in Vilnius in 2024.
“All three defendants were found guilty of participating (at different times in 2023–2024) in an organized group operating in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine and Russia, with the aim of committing sabotage and terrorist crimes”, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
Pavlo T. received five years in prison, Serhiy R. – two years and five months, and Vladislav Yu. – one year and four months of imprisonment.
During the investigation, it was established that the group operated in several European countries – in particular in Poland, Lithuania and Latvia – and was engaged in organizing arsons. The collected evidence allowed other participants to be charged, including Danylo B., Oleksandr G., Oleksandr V., and Serhiy Ch.
Law enforcement officers proved the suspects’ involvement in the arson attacks on the OBI store in Warsaw in April 2024, the IKEA store in Vilnius, and the shopping center in Warsaw at 44 Marivilska Street in May of the same year. The group also planned to set fire to the IKEA store in Riga.
The investigation established that the suspects manufactured incendiary devices and carried out arson remotely. They filmed videos from the fire sites, sent materials to customers in Russia, and posted them on propaganda resources.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the fire on Marivilska Street was ordered by Russian special services. The perpetrators have not yet been identified, but the investigation indicates coordination of the actions of Serhiy Chaly, who is wanted by Interpol throughout Europe.
