The defence lawyer for Daniil Bardadim, a Ukrainian national accused of setting fire to an Ikea store in Vilnius, has asked the court to consider a more lenient sentence by exempting him from criminal liability.
“We are asking the court to consider whether there are grounds for applying Article 39(1) of the Criminal Code,” lawyer Renata Janusonytė told BNS on Monday.
The article allows exemption from criminal liability in cases involving mitigating circumstances – specifically where a suspect confesses to participation in an organised crime group and assists in uncovering its activities.
According to Janusonytė, Vilnius Regional Court has completed hearings in the case, with a verdict due to be delivered on November 24.
At the previous court hearing, prosecutor Tomas Uldukis proposed a four-year prison sentence for the young man, saying that the severity of the sentence is determined by the fact that the crime was committed when the defendant was a minor, but the nature of the crime allows for a sufficiently severe – above-average – prison sentence.
Bardadim faces charges of carrying out a terrorist act, unlawful possession of explosives, terrorist training and travelling for terrorist purposes. As he was 17 when the incident occurred, the maximum penalty is 10 years’ imprisonment.
Lithuanian authorities believe the attack on Vilnius Ikea store was organised by a terrorist group with links to Russian special services, and coordinated via encrypted messages on social media.
According to the case file, a timed explosive device was planted at the Vilnius Ikea store on May 8, 2024, detonating overnight and causing a fire. The blaze was swiftly contained and no injuries were reported.
A civil claim has been filed in the case, seeking 485,000 euros in damages to the store.
Investigators concluded that two Ukrainians under the age of 20 were involved. Bardadim was detained near Panevėžys on May 13, 2024, allegedly while travelling to Riga to carry out another planned attack. The second suspect was arrested in Poland, where a similar fire occurred at a shopping centre.
The investigation into those who ordered the attacks remains ongoing, with international arrest warrants issued for several individuals.
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