Three Bulgarian nationals living in the UK are on trial at London’s Central Criminal Court, accused of participating in “honey pot” operations to kidnap and kill dissidents and journalists, while allegedly passing sensitive information to Russia between 2020 and 2023.
The defendants—Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39—are charged with being part of an organized spy ring that targeted Kremlin critics, including Bulgarian journalist Christo Grozev. Grozev, a former investigative journalist with Bellingcat, helped expose Russia’s involvement in the 2018 Novichok poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal.
While the three accused have denied the charges, prosecutors claim their activities caused “obvious and inevitable prejudice to the safety and interests of the United Kingdom.”
Links to Russian Intelligence and Espionage Operations
Prosecutor Alison Morgan told the court that the alleged spy ring, which included two other individuals—Orlin Roussev and Biser Dzhambazov, who previously pleaded guilty to espionage charges—operated across Europe. Their actions reportedly involved surveillance in cities such as Vienna and Valencia, as well as spying on a US airbase in Germany where Ukrainian troops were in training.
Morgan described the defendants’ operations as “sophisticated,” involving hidden bugs, jammers, and hundreds of electronic devices, including 221 mobile phones and 495 SIM cards. She also alleged that the defendants worked with a Russian agent, Jan Marsalek, an Austrian national believed to have ties to Russian intelligence since 2014.
Marsalek, also known as Rupert Ticz, reportedly paid Roussev and Dzhambazov for their espionage activities. Messages retrieved from WhatsApp conversations between the group revealed their coordinated efforts to collect information valuable to the Kremlin.
Allegations of Kidnap and Murder Plots
The prosecution has accused the defendants of planning to kidnap or kill Kremlin opponents, with a specific focus on Grozev. These alleged operations were coordinated in the UK but spanned several European countries.
Morgan emphasized that the defendants were well-funded, receiving “significant amounts of money” for their work, which was conducted on behalf of Russia.
Trial to Continue
The trial, which began this week, is expected to last until February. In the meantime, Marsalek, believed to be in Russia, remains a central figure in the investigation.
