Lithuanian court convicts man in arson attack on IKEA store last year

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VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — A Lithuanian court convicted a Ukrainian national on Monday of carrying out an arson attack last year on an IKEA store in the Baltic nation's capital, which authorities have accused Russian military intelligence of being behind.

The Vilnius regional court convicted Daniil Bardadim of charges including a terrorist act, illegal possession of explosives and arrival in Lithuania with the aim of carrying out terrorist acts. Bardadim, who had pleaded guilty, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison — a bit short of the four years prosecutors had sought.

The store in Vilnius was attacked on May 9, 2024. Investigators have said that Bardadim and another person agreed during a secret meeting in Poland to set fire to and blow up shopping centers in Lithuania and Latvia for a reward of 10,000 euros ($11,500) plus a BMW car.

Prosecutors said that Bardadim, who was a minor at the time of the attack, acted “in the interests of the military structures and security services of the Russian Federation.” IKEA was allegedly targeted because the company withdrew from Russia and because of Sweden's aid to Ukraine.

The device was set off around 4 a.m. but the resulting blaze was extinguished quickly by employees and firefighters.

European security officials have warned that a widespread sabotage campaign blamed on Russia is growing more dangerous. The Associated Press has documented around 80 incidents linked to Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.