A third individual has been formally charged in connection with a series of arson attacks targeting properties associated with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The Metropolitan Police announced on Wednesday that 34-year-old Ukrainian national Petro Pochynok has been charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.
Pochynok is expected to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court later the same day. His arrest follows the earlier charges brought against two other men — Roman Lavrynovych, a 21-year-old Ukrainian, and 26-year-old Romanian Stanislav Carpiuc — in relation to the same incidents.
Lavrynovych was charged last week with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life, while Carpiuc appeared in court on Tuesday charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. Both men have been remanded in custody and are scheduled to reappear in court on June 6.
The charges stem from three separate arson incidents that occurred in London — a car fire on May 8, and two blazes on May 11 and 12 — all of which involved properties linked to the prime minister. One of the fires, which occurred on the night of May 11, caused damage outside Starmer’s former family home in Kentish Town, north London. Although Starmer now resides at the prime minister’s official residence in Downing Street following Labour’s election victory last year, he still owns the Kentish Town property, according to UK media.
Due to the association of the targeted properties with a high-profile public figure, the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command has taken the lead in the investigation.
Authorities are continuing their inquiries into the full scope of the conspiracy and any possible motives behind the coordinated attacks.
