Russian Intelligence Suspected in London Restaurant Arson and Kidnapping Plot

Yevgeny Chichvarkin, owner of the Michelin-starred Hide restaurant, became the focus of an elaborate plot orchestrated by Russian intelligence to enact arson and kidnapping-campaigns which ultimately led to arrests, exposing the troubling intersection of organized crime and state-sponsored interventions.

When the Michelin-starred Hide restaurant opened in London’s affluent Mayfair district in 2018, it quickly gained acclaim for its stunning architecture and exquisite wine selections. However, last year marked a dramatic turn of events for the venue. A group of petty criminals in the UK was allegedly guided by Russian operatives to target Yevgeny Chichvarkin, the restaurant's owner and a vocal critic of President Vladimir V. Putin, with plans that included kidnapping him and setting the establishment ablaze.

Although the plotters were apprehended before executing these dire orders, they had already carried out an attack on a Ukrainian-owned warehouse in East London in March 2024. Evidence from thousands of intercepted communications unveiled following their arrest has provided an unsettling glimpse into how Russian operatives leverage local criminals to engage in acts of espionage and sabotage across Europe.

Cmdr. Dominic Murphy, who oversees the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, underscored the seriousness of the operation, stating, “This case is a vivid illustration of a network tied to the Russian state utilizing proxies to enact significant criminal behavior within the country.”

A jury subsequently convicted three men of arson relating to the warehouse incident and found a fourth individual guilty of failing to alert authorities about the threats associated with Chichvarkin and his enterprises. The notorious leaders of the operation, Dylan Earl and Jake Reeves, had already pleaded guilty to their involvement in what appears to be a quintessential example of international intrigue and local criminality intersecting.