Investigations by the BBC and the Financial Times find Russian links behind the arson attacks committed in May last year on properties connected to United Kingdom's prime minister Keir Starmer. Two men have been convicted, while reports point to a Russian-speaking Telegram user known as "El Money", who allegedly directed and hired the fires.
The alleged handler has been, at the same time, linked to a pro-Kremlin online network. According to the public TV, "El Money" was connected to NoName, an activist/hacktivist group accused of amplifying far-right, anti-immigrant, and anti-Islam messaging to fuel unrest in the UK. However, some sources such as The Guardian claim that police did not find direct evidence linking the Russian state itself.
Despite this, the case is being framed as part of Russia's wider sabotage and the so-called "grey-zone" activity (hostile action that sits between normal diplomacy and open war) in Europe. Even if the attackers targeted Starmer's home, investigators claim that the objective was wider: to create fear, disorder, and political turmoil inside the country. Russia's embassy denies any involvement in the case.