Five Accused Russian Spies Appear in London Court
Five individuals, all Bulgarian nationals, have appeared in court, facing allegations of being part of a Russian spy ring operating within the UK, Excel Magazine International has gathered.
Orlin Roussev, Bizer Dzhambazov, Katrin Ivanova, Ivan Stoyanov, and Vanya Gaberova are accused of conspiring to gather information beneficial to an unnamed adversary.
These allegations revolve around surveillance activities conducted between August 2020 and February 2023, targeting individuals and locations with ties to Russia. It is further alleged that these surveillance efforts were in support of hostile actions, potentially including abductions.
The suspects, who did not enter pleas during their appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, were remanded in custody. They made their appearances via video link from four separate prisons.
The arrests were made by Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism officers in February, under the Official Secrets Act. The individuals and their respective locations of residence are as follows:
– Orlin Roussev, 45, residing in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
– Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, residing in Harrow, north-west London.
– Katrin Ivanova, 31, residing at the same Harrow address.
– Ivan Stoyanov, 31, hailing from Greenford, west London.
– Vanya Gaberova, 29, living in Churchway, north-west London.
Notably, Ivan Stoyanov, known as “the Destroyer,” had a background in amateur mixed-martial-arts fighting in the UK and participated in combat sambo contests in Bulgaria, a popular martial art in eastern Europe.
Meanwhile, Vanya Gaberova, an award-winning beautician, operated a salon called “Pretty Woman” in west London.
Orlin Roussev had previous experience in financial services, and Bizer Dzhambazov and Katrin Ivanova lived as a couple, running a community organization for Bulgarian citizens in the UK.
The prosecutor, Kathryn Selby, described the accused as part of an “espionage operating hub” in the UK, with Orlin Roussev’s residence serving as a central point for their activities.
Roussev is alleged to have organized and managed the spy ring’s operations within the UK and Europe.
The five defendants are said to have conspired with an individual identified as “Jan Marsalek.” It’s important to note that Marsalek is not facing charges in this case. Marsalek is a former executive of Wirecard and is known for his involvement in the Wirecard scandal, suspected of committing fraud. He is believed to have fled to Russia via Belarus.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram announced that the five accused individuals would appear at the Old Bailey on October 13th.
