Russian agents set fire to a huge Ikea store because ‘the colours are same as Ukraine flag’, Lithuanian prosecutors have alleged.
The Kremlin’s military intelligence has been accused of orchestrating an arson attack on the shop in Vilnius in May 2024, which will now be tried as an act of terror.
The fire broke out in the store in Lithuania’s capital three days before a shopping centre in neighbouring Poland went up in flames. The authorities there said they suspected it may have been part of a growing Russian sabotage campaign, noting that the Swedish flat-pack furniture chain used the same colours as the Ukrainian flag.
“Ikea’s colours are the same as Ukraine’s flag – this has strong symbolic meaning,” said Arturas Urbelis, of the Lithuanian prosecutor general’s office, adding that the store was not chosen at random.
Investigators found that the Ikea fire was linked to Russian military intelligence through a chain of more than 20 intermediaries
“The chain includes the organisers, then more organisers for certain goals, then more intermediaries, all down to the perpetrators. It is a multi-stage, very complex system,” Mr Urbelis told reporters.
Shopping centre destroyed
Both suspects held in pre-trial detention are Ukrainians under the age of 20. They were allegedly rewarded for the attack with a BMW car and the promise of €10,000 (£8,400).
Another suspected arson attack destroyed the Polish capital Warsaw’s largest shopping centre Marywilska 44 in May 2024, destroying 1,400 commercial units.
Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, called the allegations “in line with our suspicions” and “exceptional treachery”. He compared the attacks to an attempted arson at a paint factory in Wroclaw where “the Russians hired Ukrainian citizens”.
Lithuanian prosecutors are transferring part of the case to their Polish counterparts. Last week Poland charged a Belarusian national named only as Stepan K under its privacy law with carrying out a terrorist arson attack in Warsaw on behalf of Russia.
Russia denies carrying out sabotage attacks and says the West is stoking hostile feeling by blaming Moscow for every incident.
