In a shocking revelation, the British authorities have apprehended three Bulgarian nationals suspected of espionage on behalf of Russia. The trio, identified as Orlin Roussev, Bizer Dzhambazov, and Katrin Ivanova, were detained in February as part of a significant national security investigation that has sent shockwaves through the intelligence community.
The suspects stand accused of possessing fraudulent identity documents and are believed to have been operating under the command of Russian security agencies. The list of fabricated documents includes passports and identity cards for multiple countries, including the UK, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, and more.
Orlin Roussev, one of the accused, arrived in the UK in 2009 and initially worked in the financial sector before transitioning to a business involved in signals intelligence, a field that centers on intercepting electronic communications. Meanwhile, Bizer Dzhambazov and Katrin Ivanova, who posed as a couple, resided in Harrow, London, for over a decade. Dzhambazov worked as a hospital driver, while Ivanova was employed as a laboratory assistant for a private health business.
The counter-terrorism detectives of the Metropolitan Police, acting under the Official Secrets Act, apprehended the trio. These arrests come against the backdrop of increasing concerns about espionage and state threats emanating from Russia. The UK has previously been targeted by Russian operatives in incidents such as the poisoning of former double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury.
The suspects are slated to stand trial at London’s Old Bailey in January, with the court expected to deliberate over charges related to the possession of false documents with nefarious intent. The trial is expected to draw significant attention, shedding light on the evolving landscape of espionage and foreign influence in the UK.
