Three Bulgarians have been found guilty by a London court of taking part in a sophisticated UK-based spy ring, which targeted journalists and passed sensitive information to Russia over a three-year period.
London-based Katrin Ivanova, Vanya Gaberova and Tihomir Ivanchev were found guilty at the Old Bailey of spying on an “industrial scale” that endangered lives and national security.
Bulgarians convicted in Britain of spying for Russia
They were led by suspected Russian agent Jan Marsalek, an Austrian businessman wanted by Interpol after the collapse of the German payment processing company Wirecard. His whereabouts are unknown.
Prosecutors said that the suspects carried out operations in the UK, Austria, Spain, Germany and Montenegro between 2020 and 2023.
It was alleged that they spied on a US air base in Germany where Ukrainian troops were said to be training, and had discussed kidnapping or killing opponents of the Russian state.
The suspects are due to be sentenced in May, and could face jail terms of up to 14 years.