From left to right: Keir Starmer, Yvette Cooper, John Healey and Rich Knighton during a virtual meeting to discuss Ukraine in November last year. Photograph: Jaimi Joy/EPA View image in fullscreen From left to right: Keir Starmer, Yvette Cooper, John Healey and Rich Knighton during a virtual meeting…

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Defence secretary quizzed by MPs over timing of Russian oil tanker seizure Dan Jarvis says vessel tracked for several days as opposition suggest decision linked to his predecessor’s resignation Dan Jarvis has told MPs that the Russian oil tanker seized on Sunday had been monitored for several days as he deflected suggestions that its seizure had been ordered by a prime minister under pressure after the resignation of John Healey last week. The new defence secretary , flanked supportively in the Commons by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said the Smyrtos had been “closely tracked” as he faced a question from the Conservatives as to why the capture took place over the weekend. Surveillance of the tanker – which was carrying crude oil from Russia to India – had gone on “in the days” leading up to its seizure by Royal Marines , Jarvis said, “on the grounds it was suspected of using a false flag” of Cameroon. View image in fullscreen A border security vessel patrols the detained Smyrtos vessel outside Portland harbour on Monday. Photograph: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images It was captured 25 miles south of the Isle of Wight in the small hours of Sunday, when marine commandos roped down on to the deck of the 244-metre vessel. The ship was captured in “a matter of minutes”, the defence minister said. The captain of the ship, Indian national Ajay Pant, 38, was charged with breaching sanctions offences and will appear at Southampton magistrates court on Tuesday, the National Crime Agency said, while 24 crew members from Georgia and India remain on board. Questions had been asked about the timing of the seizure, which took place three days after Healey resigned on Thursday in an acrimonious row about the money No 10 and the Treasury were willing to commit to defence by 2030. “You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country,” Healey said in his dramatic resignation letter, which caught Westminster by surprise. The Labour veteran had quit after the Treasury had only offered £13.5bn to plug an £18bn gap in the defence investment plan (Dip) – while Starmer had only been willing to lift defence spending to 2.68% of GDP by 2030, below a Nato target of 3.5% by 2035. Reeves sat next to Jarvis through the first half of his statement, his first Commons outing as defence secretary. “The chancellor is someone who cares very deeply about our national security, and that is why she is here to lend that support,” Jarvis said. But there was no further update on the status of the Dip from Jarvis, other than

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Defence secretary quizzed by MPs over timing of Russian oil tanker seizure Dan Jarvis says vessel tracked for several days as opposition suggest decision linked to his predecessor’s resignation Dan Jarvis has told MPs that the Russian oil tanker seized on Sunday had been monitored for several days as he deflected suggestions that its seizure had been ordered by a prime minister under pressure after the resignation of John Healey last week. The new defence secretary , flanked supportively in the Commons by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said the Smyrtos had been “closely tracked” as he faced a question from the Conservatives as to why the capture took place over the weekend. Surveillance of the tanker – which was carrying crude oil from Russia to India – had gone on “in the days” leading up to its seizure by Royal Marines , Jarvis said, “on the grounds it was suspected of using a false flag” of Cameroon. View image in fullscreen A border security vessel patrols the detained Smyrtos vessel outside Portland harbour on Monday. Photograph: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images It was captured 25 miles south of the Isle of Wight in the small hours of Sunday, when marine commandos roped down on to the deck of the 244-metre vessel. The ship was captured in “a matter of minutes”, the defence minister said. The captain of the ship, Indian national Ajay Pant, 38, was charged with breaching sanctions offences and will appear at Southampton magistrates court on Tuesday, the National Crime Agency said, while 24 crew members from Georgia and India remain on board. Questions had been asked about the timing of the seizure, which took place three days after Healey resigned on Thursday in an acrimonious row about the money No 10 and the Treasury were willing to commit to defence by 2030. “You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country,” Healey said in his dramatic resignation letter, which caught Westminster by surprise. The Labour veteran had quit after the Treasury had only offered £13.5bn to plug an £18bn gap in the defence investment plan (Dip) – while Starmer had only been willing to lift defence spending to 2.68% of GDP by 2030, below a Nato target of 3.5% by 2035. Reeves sat next to Jarvis through the first half of his statement, his first Commons outing as defence secretary. “The chancellor is someone who cares very deeply about our national security, and that is why she is here to lend that support,” Jarvis said. But there was no further update on the status of the Dip from Jarvis, other than

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Defence secretary quizzed by MPs over timing of Russian oil tanker seizure Dan Jarvis says vessel tracked for several days as opposition suggest decision linked to his predecessor’s resignation Dan Jarvis has told MPs that the Russian oil tanker seized on Sunday had been monitored for several days as he deflected suggestions that its seizure had been ordered by a prime minister under pressure after the resignation of John Healey last week. The new defence secretary , flanked supportively in the Commons by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said the Smyrtos had been “closely tracked” as he faced a question from the Conservatives as to why the capture took place over the weekend. Surveillance of the tanker – which was carrying crude oil from Russia to India – had gone on “in the days” leading up to its seizure by Royal Marines , Jarvis said, “on the grounds it was suspected of using a false flag” of Cameroon. View image in fullscreen A border security vessel patrols the detained Smyrtos vessel outside Portland harbour on Monday. Photograph: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images It was captured 25 miles south of the Isle of Wight in the small hours of Sunday, when marine commandos roped down on to the deck of the 244-metre vessel. The ship was captured in “a matter of minutes”, the defence minister said. The captain of the ship, Indian national Ajay Pant, 38, was charged with breaching sanctions offences and will appear at Southampton magistrates court on Tuesday, the National Crime Agency said, while 24 crew members from Georgia and India remain on board. Questions had been asked about the timing of the seizure, which took place three days after Healey resigned on Thursday in an acrimonious row about the money No 10 and the Treasury were willing to commit to defence by 2030. “You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country,” Healey said in his dramatic resignation letter, which caught Westminster by surprise. The Labour veteran had quit after the Treasury had only offered £13.5bn to plug an £18bn gap in the defence investment plan (Dip) – while Starmer had only been willing to lift defence spending to 2.68% of GDP by 2030, below a Nato target of 3.5% by 2035. Reeves sat next to Jarvis through the first half of his statement, his first Commons outing as defence secretary. “The chancellor is someone who cares very deeply about our national security, and that is why she is here to lend that support,” Jarvis said. But there was no further update on the status of the Dip from Jarvis, other than

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded w…

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded w…

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded w…

Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc were found guilty at the Old Bailey. Composite: Counter Terrorism Policing/PA View image in fullscreen Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc were found guilty at the Old Bailey. Composite: Counter Terrorism Policing/PA Handler with ties to Russia appears to …

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded w…

Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc were found guilty at the Old Bailey. Composite: Counter Terrorism Policing/PA View image in fullscreen Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc were found guilty at the Old Bailey. Composite: Counter Terrorism Policing/PA Handler with ties to Russia appears to …

Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc were found guilty at the Old Bailey. Composite: Counter Terrorism Policing/PA View image in fullscreen Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc were found guilty at the Old Bailey. Composite: Counter Terrorism Policing/PA Handler with ties to Russia appears to have directed arson attacks on Starmer-linked property Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc appear to have operated under instruction of online handler ‘El Money’ Two men found guilty of conspiring to carry out arson attacks on property connected to Keir Starmer appear to have operated under the instruction of an online handler with links to Russia. Roman Lavrynovych, 22, from Ukraine, and Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, from Romania, were found guilty at the Old Bailey on Monday. Another Ukrainian man, Petro Pochynok, 35, was cleared of the same charge. Lavrynovych was also convicted of damaging two properties by fire, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, on 11 and 12 May last year. He was acquitted of two counts of committing arson with intent to risk life. During a months-long trial, the jury heard that the three men had been offered payment to set fire to a car and two houses linked to Starmer by a mysterious Russian-speaking figure named El Money, or “Hroshi” in Ukrainian. Reports in the Financial Times and BBC on Monday suggested that the attacks had been coordinated through Telegram messages from an account with links to a network based in Russia. The BBC reported that a 23-year-old Russian diplomat, Evgeny Lyukshin, had masterminded the attacks. But others cautioned that no such charges had been brought. Prosecutors in the case did not disclose information about the identity of Lavrynovych’s handler, other than to reveal that they had used the “El Money” handle on Telegram and communicated in Russian and Ukrainian. Investigators indicated that establishing clearcut connection to Moscow in such cases was complex, which was why Lavrynovych was indicted with arson and not national security offences. Commander Helen Flanagan, the head of counter-terrorism policing London, said there was “no ideological motivation” for the defendants and “no evidence to suggest that they knew who they were targeting, and that that was the prime minister or properties linked to the prime minister”. She added: “However, clearly the intention from the online tasker was to create fear, both for the victim and the prime minister, and cause uncertainty, unrest, for the UK.” Mr Justice Garnham remanded the defendants into custody, to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday. Jurors had deliberated for seven hours and 26 minutes before reaching their unanimous verdicts. The police recovered more than 320 messages between El Money and Lavrynovych on Telegram, dating back to September 2024. The anonymous contact, who communicated in Russian, offered Lavrynovych £3,000 in cryptocurrency if he set the fires, filmed them, and got them on the news. Pochynok, who was asked

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Defence secretary quizzed by MPs over timing of Russian oil tanker seizure Dan Jarvis says vessel tracked for several days as opposition suggest decision linked to his predecessor’s resignation Dan Jarvis has told MPs that the Russian oil tanker seized on Sunday had been monitored for several days as he deflected suggestions that its seizure had been ordered by a prime minister under pressure after the resignation of John Healey last week. The new defence secretary , flanked supportively in the Commons by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said the Smyrtos had been “closely tracked” as he faced a question from the Conservatives as to why the capture took place over the weekend. Surveillance of the tanker – which was carrying crude oil from Russia to India – had gone on “in the days” leading up to its seizure by Royal Marines , Jarvis said, “on the grounds it was suspected of using a false flag” of Cameroon. View image in fullscreen A border security vessel patrols the detained Smyrtos vessel outside Portland harbour on Monday. Photograph: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images It was captured 25 miles south of the Isle of Wight in the small hours of Sunday, when marine commandos roped down on to the deck of the 244-metre vessel. The ship was captured in “a matter of minutes”, the defence minister said. The captain of the ship, Indian national Ajay Pant, 38, was charged with breaching sanctions offences and will appear at Southampton magistrates court on Tuesday, the National Crime Agency said, while 24 crew members from Georgia and India remain on board. Questions had been asked about the timing of the seizure, which took place three days after Healey resigned on Thursday in an acrimonious row about the money No 10 and the Treasury were willing to commit to defence by 2030. “You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country,” Healey said in his dramatic resignation letter, which caught Westminster by surprise. The Labour veteran had quit after the Treasury had only offered £13.5bn to plug an £18bn gap in the defence investment plan (Dip) – while Starmer had only been willing to lift defence spending to 2.68% of GDP by 2030, below a Nato target of 3.5% by 2035. Reeves sat next to Jarvis through the first half of his statement, his first Commons outing as defence secretary. “The chancellor is someone who cares very deeply about our national security, and that is why she is here to lend that support,” Jarvis said. But there was no further update on the status of the Dip from Jarvis, other than

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded w…

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded w…

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded w…

Police said they had arrested 41 individuals in Italy and Spain linked to the network, with charges ranging from criminal conspiracy and drug trafficking to money laundering and aiding and abetting illegal immigration. Photograph: Imago/Alamy View image in fullscreen Police said they had arrested 41…

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded w…

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded w…

Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded when other suspected shadow fleet vessels in British waters had not. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Dan Jarvis was asked by the shadow defence secretary why the Smyrtos had been boarded w…

Police said they had arrested 41 individuals in Italy and Spain linked to the network, with charges ranging from criminal conspiracy and drug trafficking to money laundering and aiding and abetting illegal immigration. Photograph: Imago/Alamy View image in fullscreen Police said they had arrested 41…