National security suspect from East Midlands ‘tasked with burning Ukrainian car’ by Russian website
The court heard that a Belarusian national security suspect was tasked by a Russian-language website to set fire to a Ukrainian car in exchange for money.
Artsem Sadardzinau, 30, from Rutland in the East Midlands, is charged with conspiring with others to damage a vehicle by fire by arson between August 31 and February 15.
He appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday by video link from Pentonville prison for a preliminary hearing.
Summing up the claim, Prosecutor Ben Lloyd said: “The defendant is said to have seen the advert on a Russian website. The website appeared to support and facilitate illegal activity.”
“There is a section on that website called ‘car arson’.
“The defendant visited the website several times and was then apparently tasked with locating and identifying a Ukrainian-registered vehicle through apps such as Telegram, sending a video to the officer, acknowledging the target, and then setting the vehicle on fire in exchange for payment.”
Mr Lloyd said investigations were ongoing into whether the case fell under the National Security Act.
The defendant stated through his lawyer that he would not accept the accusation against him and that he had no intention of taking any action.
Lady Justice Cheema-Grubb set a plea hearing at the Old Bailey on June 19 and a two-week provisional hearing before a High Court judge at Leicester Crown Court from April 6, 2027.
The defendant was arrested and sent to prison.
London Counter Terrorism Police said officers did not believe there was a wider threat to the public in relation to the matter while investigations were ongoing.
