On Friday, a London jury convicted three Bulgarian nationals of espionage for Russia, following a high-profile trial that exposed the activities of a sophisticated spy ring operating from a guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, England. Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, were found guilty of conspiring to spy on behalf of an enemy state, with their operations spanning across Europe from 2020 to 2023. They are expected to face sentences of up to 14 years when they are sentenced in May.

The group, referred to as “the Minions” by their ringleaders, was involved in complex espionage operations that included monitoring a US airbase in Germany believed to be hosting training for Ukrainian troops. Prosecutors described how the defendants discussed plans to potentially kidnap or kill opponents of the Russian state, highlighting the dangers posed by their activities.

Evidence presented during the trial revealed that the suspects were engaged in a series of activities targeting high-profile individuals, including a Bulgarian journalist who exposed Russia’s involvement in the 2018 Novichok poisoning of a former Russian spy in Salisbury. They aimed to lure him into a “honeytrap” romance with Gaberova, showcasing the use of sexual manipulation as a tactic for gathering intelligence. The spies tracked investigative journalist Christo Grozev as he travelled from Vienna to Valencia, Spain, even discussing plans of robbing or harming him.

The spy cell was directed by Orlin Roussev, 46, who operated under the alias “Q” due to his expertise in creating surveillance equipment. His second-in-command was Biser Dzhambazov, 43. Both Roussev and Dzhambazov, along with a sixth member, mixed martial arts fighter Ivan Stoyanov, had previously pleaded guilty to espionage charges and possession of false identity documents. The group’s activities were purportedly financed by Jan Marsalek, a fugitive businessman wanted for his role in the collapse of Wirecard, who has allegedly aligned himself with Russian intelligence services.

Upon their arrest in February 2023, law enforcement uncovered a large cache of sophisticated surveillance technology at the Haydee guesthouse, described by police as an “Indiana Jones garage.” The equipment included hidden spying devices cleverly disguised within everyday objects such as a Coca-Cola bottle and a Minions plush toy, alongside fake identities and more than 200 mobile phones. Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, remarked on the operation’s scale, likening it to something one might read in a spy novel.

The investigation revealed the cell had conducted operations in multiple countries, including Austria, Spain, Germany, and Montenegro. Throughout their years-long espionage efforts, the group amassed over 80,000 messages exchanged via Telegram with their Moscow handlers, which ultimately provided critical evidence against them.

As the UK continues to grapple with rising state-sponsored espionage threats, counter-terror officials highlight increasing reliance on proxy actors, suggesting this operation may be one of many similar projects occurring on British soil. This case underscores ongoing concerns about Russian intelligence efforts and the lengths to which state-supported operations might go in pursuing dissidents and journalists.

Source: Noah Wire Services