On September 18 2025 Warsaw’s district court convicted three Ukrainian nationals of involvement in an organized sabotage‑terrorist group that operated across the EU and Eastern Europe.
Court Verdict and Sentences
On 18 September 2025 the Warsaw‑Praga District Court sentenced Serhii R., Pavlo T. and Vladyslav Y. to prison terms ranging from one year and four months to five years and six months for their roles in a coordinated criminal network.
The convictions carry total jail terms of 5 ½ years for Pavlo T., 2 ½ years for Serhii R., and 1 ¼ years for Vladyslav Y. The verdict remains non‑final, as the 1 st accused has requested a written justification.
Charges and Affiliations
The defendants participated, at various times between 2023 and 2024, in an organized group active in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine and Russia. The group planned and executed sabotage and terrorist attacks by setting large‑area facilities ablaze within EU states, aiming to intimidate the public and influence public opinion.
Additional Conspiracy Actions
Serhii R. and Pavlo T. assisted Serhii Chalyi in evading criminal liability for the 9‑May 2024 IKEA fire in Vilnius and the 12‑May 2024 blaze at the Marywil Hall in Warsaw. Between 13‑17 May 2024 they arranged Chalyi’s accommodation in Warsaw, helped buy airline tickets, passed escape‑facilitating information, transported him to the Czech Republic, and paid for his stay in an Austrian hotel.
Investigation Findings
The multiaction investigation, led by the Warsaw local office of the National Prosecutor’s Department, linked the suspects to fires at OBI on 14 April 2024, IKEA on 9 May 2024, and Marywil Hall on 12 May 2024, as well as a planned IKEA fire in Riga. Evidence places Daniil B., Oleksandr H., Oleksandr V., and Serhii Chalyi in the scheme.
On 20 April 2024 Daniil B., under orders from Oleksandr V. and Serhii Chalyi, surveyed large‑surface stores in Lithuania to identify potential ignition sites, relaying findings to V. (Russia) and Chalyi (Poland). On 8 May 2024 he and Oleksandr H. built a remote‑ignition device, leaving it with flammable liquid at the Vilnius IKEA; the device caused the fire overnight. That same day, Daniil recorded the blaze and the firefighting response for upload to Russian propaganda outlets. On 11 May 2024 he again followed V.’s instructions to record the Marywil Hall fire. The blaze was determined to have been started by the group at the behest of Russian intelligence, though direct perpetrators remain unidentified.
Serhii Chalyi is suspected of directing the organized criminal group and coordinating sabotage across Poland, Lithuania, and other EU states. He is currently missing, and authorities have issued an Interpol Red Notice and a European Arrest Warrant.
Outstanding Charges and Pending Proceedings
Charges against Daniil B. have been filed as of May 2025, and a decision on charges against Oleksandr V. has been recorded though V. remains abroad. The investigation continues, with efforts ongoing to locate Chalyi and clarify all individuals involved.
