Ukrainian man denies role in Starmer arson plot, court hears

A Ukrainian man accused of conspiring to set fire to a car linked to Sir Keir Starmer has told the Old Bailey he was only at the crime scene after being asked to help with some "luggage".

Petro Pochynok, 35, is on trial alongside fellow Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 27.

They deny targeting two properties and a car linked to the prime minister in May 2025.

Pochynok told jurors that Sir Keir was a "friend" of Ukraine and he had not been part of a plan to target him. He is accused of being present on 8 May 2025 when a Toyota previously owned by Sir Keir was set alight.

Giving evidence through a translator, Pochynok said he became involved after his long-term friend Carpiuc phoned to ask if he could help an associate - Lavrynovych - with some "heavy suitcases".

Pochynok said he had only met Lavrynovych once before and they had never spoken, but he agreed to help as a favour to Carpiuc.

He described setting his alarm for the early hours of the morning on 8 May and walking to a street in Kentish Town, north London, where he met Lavrynovych.

"When I met him I realised he did not have any suitcases, he only had a rucksack," Pochynok said.

He said Lavrynovych had seemed "very irritated" and "kept talking about money", particularly an employer who had not paid him for two months.

"I realised at the time I was deceived," he told the court.

He said Lavrynovych then described an intention to set fire to the employer's car, but that he told him "not to do that".

Pochynok said Lavrynovych handed him a phone with the camera app open, before setting the car alight. He captured a brief video of Lavrynovych moving away from the car as it started to burn, before throwing the phone on the floor and running away because he "didn't want to participate in a crime".

Asked by his barrister Dominic D'Souza if he had at at any stage agreed to participate in the plan, Pochynock said: "I did not agree to do that".

He told the court he worked in construction and at the department store Harrods, and that he had never agreed to be paid for any arsons.

He described going home after the incident and not wanting to speak to Lavrynovych again. They were both arrested within days.

On 11 May 2025 - three days after the car fire - a fire was discovered at flats in nearby Islington where Sir Keir previously lived.

On 12 May, another fire was discovered at the front entrance to Sir Keir's Kentish Town home - in the same street where the car was set on fire - which was being rented to his sister-in-law.

Lavrynovych is accused of starting all three fires.

Jurors have previously heard that after the final fire, "El Money" messaged Lavrynovych to say: "Look, you attacked the home of a very high-ranking person in Britain. I'll send you money, you need to leave the city."

Asked whether he would ever help Russia or someone linked to Russia who was "causing problems" in the UK, Pochynok said he would not, adding: "Putin is a terrorist."

Lavynovych told police that he did not know who Sir Keir was, but, when Pochynock was asked, he said: "I know he is prime minister. He is Ukrainian friend, and all UK people are Ukrainian friends."

He added: "Mr Starmer help Ukraine more than the United States. Thank you so much".

The court heard Pochynok's father died three weeks ago and that he had been a soldier fighting in Ukraine.

Pochynok, of Islington, north London, had his evidence halted when Judge Mr Justice Garnham said he was "increasingly concerned about the accuracy of the interpretation" by the male Ukrainian interpreter. He will resume giving evidence on Tuesday 26 May.

Pochynok, Lavrynovych, and Carpiuc, all from London, deny conspiracy to damage property by fire between April 1 and May 13 last year.

Lavrynovych also denies damaging two properties by fire with intent to endanger life or being reckless as to whether life was endangered on May 11 and 12 last year.