Three accused admit arson of Riga railway facilities
Monday 10th August 2026 on 17:15 in
Latvia
Three of four defendants have admitted setting fire to railway facilities in Riga and assisting a foreign state in activities directed against Latvia, LSM reported. They hope to reach agreements with prosecutors for reduced sentences. The case continued at Riga City Court.
The defendants allegedly carried out four arson attacks on Latvian railway facilities, including electrical distribution cabinets and relays, in October last year and January this year.
Investigators say the main organiser was Oļegs Sverdlovs, who received orders to carry out acts of sabotage while in prison and recruited Arnis Jansons. Jansons allegedly carried out some of the arson attacks alone and recruited Jurijs Luks and Jurijs Levančuks to help with others. The attacks were recorded on video and sent to the person who commissioned the sabotage via Telegram.
The defendants were detained at the beginning of this year. Only one, Jurijs Lečenčkovs, attended the hearing in person. He is subject to a security measure that does not involve detention. The other three remain in custody and took part in the hearing by videoconference from Riga Central Prison.
The court did not allow the hearing to be filmed after objections from the defendants. During the hearing, Sverdlovs, Jansons and Luks fully admitted the charges against them and said they were ready to agree on a sentence with the prosecutor.
Lečenčkovs admitted setting the fires but denied cooperating with foreign intelligence services. He also faces charges related to the possession of amphetamine.
Levančuks asked the court to order a psychiatric assessment, saying he had not been aware of his actions. He was also unable to explain them to reporters after the hearing.
Investigators established that the perpetrators were promised between 250 and 450 US dollars for each arson attack, although they were not always paid. The charges of assisting a foreign state in activities directed against Latvia carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.