Ukrainian guilty of vandalism at mosques linked to Russian network behind Starmer arson attack

A Ukrainian man has pleaded guilty to spraying abusive graffiti on mosques in east London, in a case linked to the Russian state network behind arson attacks against the former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Illia Bilyk, 21, entered guilty pleas at Thames Magistrates’ Court to five counts of racially and religiously aggravated criminal damage.

Bilyk sprayed graffiti on the Stratford Islamic Association, Al-Birr Mosque and Leyton Jamia Masjid on 23 January 2025. Two days later he targeted Noor Ul Islam Primary School and the Islamic Shariah Council.

The BBC has learned that Bilyk told police he was recruited into spraying the graffiti by a Russian speaker after being approached on the messaging app Telegram.

Bilyk said the Russian speaker told him where to target and paid him afterwards.

In June this year two Ukrainians – Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc – were jailed for conspiring to carry out arson attacks targeting a property and a car connected to prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

An investigation by the BBC and Hope not Hate revealed that Russia was behind the arson attacks and had also generated Islamophobic vandalism throughout London, including on the east London venues which Biluyk has now admitted vandalising.