United Kingdom charges five for spying for Russia

• Five individuals, are suspected of engaging in espionage activities for Russia.
• This legal action follows an investigation carried out by the Metropolitan Police.
• Their activities purportedly spanned the UK and Europe.

Five individuals, suspected of engaging in espionage activities for Russia, are set to face charges for conspiring to conduct espionage.

Orlin Roussev, Bizer Dzhambazov, Katrin Ivanova, Ivan Stoyanov, and Vanya Gaberova will be brought before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

These Bulgarian nationals stand accused of plotting to gather information beneficial to an adversary between August 2020 and February 2023.

This legal action follows an investigation carried out by the Metropolitan Police.

The defendants are alleged to have operated as a spy cell for the Russian security services, actively involved in conducting surveillance on specific targets.

Their activities purportedly spanned the UK and Europe, during which they collected and transmitted information to the Russian state.

Orlin Roussev, aged 45, is believed to have overseen operations from the UK and served as the liaison with recipients of the gathered intelligence.

During searches of properties in London and Norfolk occupied by three of the defendants—Mr. Roussev, Mr. Dzhambazov (aged 41), and Ms. Ivanova (aged 31)—officials uncovered counterfeit passports and official identity documents for multiple countries, including the UK, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, and the Czech Republic.

Some of these documents contained photographs of Mr. Roussev and Mr. Dzhambazov, with allegations that Mr. Roussev himself produced forgeries.

Additionally, the group is accused of orchestrating a surveillance operation in Montenegro that involved creating fake identification cards for journalists, one of which featured Ms. Ivanova.

Mr. Roussev, Mr. Dzhambazov, and Ms. Ivanova have resided in the UK for several years, holding various jobs and living in suburban properties.

Mr. Roussev has a history of business dealings in Russia, moving to the UK in 2009 and spending three years in a technical role in financial services.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he later owned a business involved in signals intelligence, which focuses on intercepting communications or electronic signals.

Mr. Roussev also claims to have advised the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy at one point.

In Harrow, former neighbors described Mr. Dzhambazov and Ms. Ivanova as a couple. Mr. Dzhambazov worked as a driver for hospitals, while Ms. Ivanova identified herself on her LinkedIn profile as a laboratory assistant for a private health business.

The pair, who relocated to the UK approximately a decade ago, ran a community organization offering services to Bulgarian people, including helping them acclimate to British culture and norms.

According to Bulgarian state documents available online, they also worked for electoral commissions in London, facilitating voting in Bulgarian elections for citizens residing abroad.