Three Bulgarians Convicted of Spying for Russia in the UK

A London jury has found three Bulgarian nationals guilty of espionage, uncovering a high-level Russian spy ring that operated across Europe for three years. The convicted individuals – Katrin Ivanova (43), Vanya Gaberova (30), and Tihomir Ivanchev (39) – were engaged in surveillance and intelligence operations targeting Kremlin opponents, Ukrainian troops, and journalists.

According to London’s Counter Terrorism Command, the spy ring carried out intelligence operations on an industrial scale, following direct orders from Russia’s military intelligence service (GRU).

🔹 Tracked Ukrainian soldiers training at a U.S. base in Germany, aiming to monitor their movements on the battlefield.
🔹 Conducted surveillance on journalists, including Christo Grozev from Bellingcat, known for investigating the 2018 Salisbury poisoning.
🔹 Monitored exiled Russian and Kazakh dissidents living in the UK, including Roman Dobrokhotov, Bergey Ryskaliyev, and Kiril Kachur.

The spy network was orchestrated by Jan Marsalek (44), an Austrian businessman and alleged Russian agent, wanted by Interpol after the collapse of Wirecard, a German payment firm.

Marsalek, whose whereabouts remain unknown, is suspected to be hiding in Russia. He acted as the main link between Russian intelligence and the spy network, directing at least six major espionage operations across the UK, Austria, Spain, Germany, and Montenegro until the group’s arrest in 2023.

Three other Bulgarians – Orlin Roussev (47), Biser Dzhambazov (43), and Ivan Stoyanov – had previously pleaded guilty to spying for Russia before the trial began.

🔸 Roussev, the group’s leader, reportedly received €200,000 ($217,000) to fund espionage activities.
🔸 All six convicted spies face up to 14 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 2025.

UK Counterterrorism Chief Speaks Out

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of London’s Counter Terrorism Command, described the operation as one of the most sophisticated espionage networks uncovered in recent years. “This was spying on an almost industrial scale, directly serving the Russian state and its intelligence agencies,” Murphy stated.