On 11 July 2025, London court proceedings revealed that two young British men were recruited and directed by Russian operatives to execute sabotage actions including arson and a kidnapping plot against a London restaurant owner connected to a politician. The plot is part of an escalating Russian sabotage campaign across Europe intended to intimidate and destabilize Western targets as part of Moscow’s shadow war. The perpetrators, motivated and supported by Russian actors, aimed to disrupt community and political stability in London. Authorities highlighted the sophisticated covert nature of these operations, incorporating criminal proxies to carry out hybrid warfare tactics on European soil. This case signals the growing threat of Russian sabotage tactics including targeted kidnappings and firebombing orchestrated beyond conventional military means.
Category: Military & Paramilitary Operations
Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary
Incident Type: Proxy forces, militias, mercenaries (e.g. Wagner-type groups)
Country: United Kingdom
Source report: www.abc.net.au/news/2025…
