Russian couple's home targeted in Melbourne arson attack

The property of a Russian Australian philanthropist whose son was jailed over a home invasion was among the targets in a string of arson attacks in Melbourne this week.

The ABC can reveal two cars at the Balwyn North home of Inessa Shishkina and her husband Alexei Shishkin were firebombed early on Wednesday morning.

Mr Shishkin began importing Australian grocery items to Russia in the 1990s and, according to a video featuring his wife, was the first person to open an Australian supermarket in the country before the couple moved to Australia in 2001.

In a subtitled 2020 interview with YouTube channel Foreign Influence, Ms Shishkina said her husband no longer had work ties to Russia but was involved in some construction projects in Australia.

She said she was involved in organising charity events and donating to them, and collected donations for her church's elderly community.

In a written statement to the ABC, Ms Shishkina said she had been deeply affected by Wednesday's firebombing, and it had rocked her "sense of security and confidence in the future".

"Twenty-five years ago, we chose Australia as our home because we believed it was a safe, stable and comfortable country to live in," she said.

"We do not harm anyone, we have no enemies and we pay substantial taxes."

The pair's son, Erik Shishkin, was imprisoned in June for breaking into a Reservoir home with an accomplice in May 2024.

He was found to have brandished a gun at the home’s occupants before he and his co-offender were overpowered and fled.

Erik Shishkin was also charged with possessing a drug of dependence and dealing with the proceeds of crime and was sentenced to three years' jail.

Police investigating whether spate of firebombings are linked

Police are trying to determine whether the 14 car firebombings over five days in Taylors Hill, Keilor, Balwyn North, Maidstone, Reservoir and Oakleigh East are related.

A 13-year-old boy is fighting for life after he was burned in the bombing in Taylors Hill, in Melbourne’s north-west, on Monday morning. He is believed to have been paid to carry out the crime.

On Thursday, Acting Commander Troy Papworth said police believed the rise in arson attacks was linked to organised crime and appeared to be an intimidation tactic.

The ABC has discovered that one of the cars destroyed in Springvale was owned by a now-closed car repairs business in Hoppers Crossing, Vivid Finish Accident Repairs.

When the ABC visited the home on Thursday, the family said it was the second time they had been targeted.