Ukrainian Teen Sentenced in Lithuania for IKEA Arson Linked to Russian Military Intelligence Plot

A Lithuanian court has sentenced a young man from Ukraine to three years and four months in prison for igniting a fire at an IKEA outlet in Vilnius last year.

Danylo Bardadym reportedly detonated an explosive device inside the IKEA store in May 2024, leading to a fire that was promptly controlled. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries as a result of the incident.

The judge in Vilnius characterized Bardadym’s actions as «an act of terrorism» occurring in the city and described another incident as «an attempted terrorist act» in the northern region of Siauliai, which hosts a NATO airbase.

Prosecutors indicated that Bardadym had acted «on behalf of a foreign military intelligence agency» and claimed that Russia was «aware» of his intentions.

At the time, Bardadym was 17 years old and was allegedly offered a car and 10,000 euros (approximately $11,500) in exchange for his involvement. He was also found guilty of «training for terrorist activities,» traveling to Riga in neighboring Latvia «for terrorist purposes,» and possessing explosives, as noted by the judge.