Trial Commences for Three Bulgarians Accused of Spying for Russia in London Court

Three Bulgarian nationals are accused of espionage in a London court. They allegedly shared secrets with Russia over nearly three years. Prosecutors claim Katrin Ivanova, Vanya Gaberova, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev conducted surveillance across Europe. They deny these charges. The alleged activities spanned cities like Vienna and Valencia but were coordinated from the UK.

The prosecution highlighted an incident involving surveillance of a US airbase in Germany. Ukrainian troops were reportedly trained there. The defendants also allegedly discussed harming opponents of the Russian state. "Between 2020 and 2023 these three defendants together with a number of other people spied for the benefit of Russia," said prosecution lawyer Alison Morgan. "Their activity caused obvious and inevitable prejudice to the safety and interests of the United Kingdom."

Alleged Espionage Activities

Morgan described the surveillance as sophisticated, with significant payments made to the defendants. Hundreds of devices, including bugs and jammers, were allegedly used to collect intelligence. The defendants are accused of conspiring with Russian agent Jan Marsalek, an Austrian national, to gather information beneficial to Russia.

Reports from German and Austrian media suggest Marsalek has ties to Russian intelligence since at least 2014. He is believed to be residing in Russia currently. The defendants face charges of conspiracy to spy between August 30, 2020, and February 8, 2023. Ivanova also faces a charge related to possessing false identity documents.

Additional Defendants and Trial Details

The alleged spy ring includes two more individuals, Orlin Roussev and Biser Dzhambazov. Both have already pleaded guilty to espionage charges. The trial is expected to continue until February next year.

The court proceedings aim to uncover the extent of the espionage activities and their impact on national security. The case highlights ongoing concerns about foreign intelligence operations within Europe.