Three Bulgarian citizens living in the UK appeared in court for the final hearing of a case where they were accused of Russian espionage. After more than 32 hours of deliberation, the jury found the three Bulgarian citizens guilty. The jury reported that the suspects were part of a spy network managed by a fugitive businessman who traveled all over Europe to monitor journalists, a former politician, and a US military base in Germany.

In the UK, three Bulgarian citizens accused of spying on behalf of Russia were found guilty. Katrin Ivanova, a 33-year-old laboratory technician, Vanya Gaberova, a 30-year-old beauty specialist, and Tihomir Ivanchev, a 39-year-old artist and decorator, were convicted of being members of a Moscow-backed spy network.

According to the court, the espionage network was led by Austrian businessman Jan Marsalek. It was alleged that Marsalek, who fled to Russia in 2020 after a major fraud, carried out various surveillance and sabotage activities across Europe.

The suspects were said to have taken part in operations to monitor investigative journalist Christo Grozev, whom the Kremlin viewed as an enemy.

It was revealed that the defendants were tasked with obtaining the phone numbers of Ukrainian soldiers undergoing training at a US military base in the German city of Stuttgart.

A former guesthouse in the Norfolk region of England was used as the central location for espionage activities. Here, surveillance and electronic equipment worth hundreds of thousands of pounds were found. The spy network was under surveillance by UK security forces for a long time. In February 2023, MI5 and anti-terror units carried out an operation to arrest the suspects. Evidence presented in court showed that the gang’s leader, Orlin Roussev, received direct instructions from Marsalek. A total of 78,747 Telegram messages seized during the operation revealed the extent of the spy operations. During the operation, 221 cell phones, 495 SIM cards, 258 hard drives, 55 surveillance cameras, and 75 fake IDs belonging to the spy network were seized. Ivanova was also found guilty of possessing fake passports and identity documents. The three defendants were charged with espionage under the UK’s Official Secrets Act of 1911. This offense carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. The judge ruled to keep the suspects in custody until the final verdict, which will be announced between May 7-12. British authorities stated that Kremlin’s espionage activities continue in Europe, but are usually carried out through criminal networks and low-level agents.