British police are on the Russian trail in the arson attacks suffered by properties of the Prime Minister of that country, Keir Starmer, which are being investigated as "terrorist acts".
Investigators believe that it is possible that the actions, carried out two weeks ago, were part of the sabotage that the Government of Vladimir Putin has launched against infrastructures, airplanes, and shopping centers in Poland, Lithuania, Germany, and the United Kingdom itself. The British Government insists that there are still no grounds to formally accuse any country or organization.
In these actions, the private vehicle of the head of the Government was destroyed by the flames, while his property - where he lived until moving to his official residence and where his sister-in-law now resides - suffered damage. Also, a house where Starmer lived until the late 90s was set on fire.
So far, the police have arrested three suspects, aged 21, 26, and 34. Two of them are Ukrainian, and the third, although born in that country, holds Romanian nationality. All have been charged with violent acts with the intent to endanger lives.
The strategy of recruiting small-time criminals to carry out violent actions has been used by Russian secret services inside and outside their country. Perhaps the most famous example is the assassination of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov in 2015, for which five members of a Chechen criminal gang were arrested.