Ukrainian man admits mosque vandalism linked to Russian network

Illia Bilyk, aged 21, has pleaded guilty to five charges of racially and religiously aggravated criminal damage. The offences involved spraying graffiti on several religious and educational sites in east London during January 2025. Bilyk entered his guilty pleas at Thames Magistrates' Court.

The locations targeted by Bilyk included the Stratford Islamic Association, Al-Birr Mosque, and Leyton Jamia Masjid on 23 January 2025. Two days later, on 25 January 2025, he vandalised Noor Ul Islam Primary School and the Islamic Shariah Council.

Recruitment and Payment

During police interviews, Bilyk reported being approached on the messaging application Telegram by an individual who spoke Russian. This individual, according to Bilyk, provided instructions on where to spray the graffiti and subsequently paid him for the actions. This recruitment method echoes that used in other incidents linked to a wider Russian network.

This case has emerged in connection with a network previously identified as being behind arson attacks targeting properties associated with former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer. In June, two other Ukrainian nationals, Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc, were sentenced to prison for their involvement in those arson attacks.

An investigation conducted by the BBC and the organisation Hope not Hate has indicated that Russia was orchestrating these arson attacks and also generating Islamophobic vandalism across London. The east London venues Bilyk admitted to vandalising were among those identified in this wider campaign.

Lavrynovych, who was directly involved in starting fires at Sir Keir Starmer's property, also admitted to spraying Islamophobic graffiti on an Islamic building in south London. He too was recruited via Telegram and offered payment by an anonymous handler identified by the initials EL for both the graffiti and arson activities.

EL has been described as a Russian operative responsible for directing a broad sabotage and provocation campaign remotely through social media platforms and Telegram. This operative was reportedly central to managing a fabricated far-right group named Direct Action UK, established by Russian operatives to incite vandalism on British streets, including the mosque graffiti attacks.

Following Bilyk's graffiti incidents in east London in January 2025, images of the vandalism were circulated within a Direct Action Telegram group. Shortly after two of Bilyk's attacks, EL posted in a job group for Ukrainian individuals, offering payment for photographs of buildings in the vicinity.

The BBC investigation identified a Russian diplomat, Evgeny Lyukshin, as being part of the Direct Action UK chat group. Lyukshin reportedly received training in 'information warfare' from senior Russian intelligence officers, and his details align with those of EL. Lyukshin did not provide a response to the BBC when contacted.

Police Response and Sentencing

Chief Superintendent Rhona Hunt of the Metropolitan Police acknowledged the distress caused to Muslim communities in east London by these incidents. She stated that anti-Muslim hate crime and Islamophobia are unacceptable in London and affirmed the police's commitment to combating hate crime while supporting and reassuring affected communities.

Illia Bilyk is scheduled to be sentenced on 19 October at Stratford Magistrates' Court.