Russian Intelligence's Shocking Scheme to Target London Restaurant Owner

A criminal conspiracy linked to Russian intelligence aimed to kidnap restaurant owner Yevgeny Chichvarkin and set fire to his Michelin-starred restaurant, Hide, in London. Arrests were made before the plot could unfold, exposing a network of espionage activities that utilize local criminals.

In a disturbing twist to international espionage, a criminal gang operating in Britain was allegedly directed by Russian intelligence to execute a plot against Yevgeny Chichvarkin, the owner of the renowned Michelin-starred restaurant Hide in London's Mayfair. Court proceedings have unveiled that the scheme involved plans for the kidnap of Chichvarkin, a prominent critic of Vladimir V. Putin, along with the arson of his restaurant and an associated wine shop.

The events came to light during a lengthy trial at the Old Bailey, where it was revealed that the would-be perpetrators were apprehended before they could execute their dangerous orders. However, they successfully completed a separate mission: the arson of a warehouse owned by Ukrainians in East London in 2024.

Police investigations unearthed a trove of messages detailing how Russian operatives were orchestrating clandestine operations through local criminal factions to carry out acts of sabotage in Europe. Cmdr. Dominic Murphy from the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command stated that this case exemplifies how Russian state-affiliated organizations exploit "proxies" for carrying out serious criminal activities within foreign territories.

On a recent Tuesday, the jury convicted three of the gang members for the East London warehouse fire, while a fourth was found guilty of failing to alert authorities about the sinister plans concerning Chichvarkin and his businesses. The admitted ringleaders, Dylan Earl and Jake Reeves, had previously acknowledged their roles in the veritable conspiracy orchestrated under the shadow of international intrigue.