Three Russian spies arrested in the United Kingdom
Russian spies arrested in the United Kingdom (Photo: Getty Images)
In a major national security investigation, three individuals suspected of spying for Russia in the United Kingdom have been arrested and charged. The suspects, all Bulgarian citizens, were detained in February and have remained in custody since then, says BBC.
According to the media, the suspects had passports, identity documents, and other materials related to the UK, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, and Czechia.
The arrests were made by detectives from the London Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism unit, responsible for national security espionage cases, under the law of state secrecy.
Russian-Bulgarian spies
The arrested individuals are:
- Orlin Roussev, 45, of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
- Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, of Harrow, north-west London
- Katrin Ivanova, 31, of the same Harrow address
All three suspects have been living in the UK for many years, working in various jobs and residing in multiple suburban homes.
Roussev has business experience in Russia and relocated to the UK in 2009. He worked as a technical specialist in the financial services sector for three years. His LinkedIn profile indicates later involvement in a business related to intelligence, including message interception or electronic signal tracking.
Former neighbors described Dzhambazov and Ivanova as a couple. Dzhambazov worked as a hospital driver, while Ivanova identified herself on her LinkedIn profile as a lab assistant in a private medical business. The couple, who moved to the UK around a decade ago, led a community organization that provided services to Bulgarians, including familiarizing them with British culture and norms.
Russian spies in London
The counter-terrorism police have publicly expressed concerns over increasing instances of espionage, particularly linked to Russia. Their apprehension stems from infamous incidents in recent years associated with Russian intelligence activities in the UK.
In 2018, Russian operatives attempted to assassinate former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury using the deadly nerve agent Novichok.
In 2006, former Russian intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko was killed in London after being poisoned by agents working on behalf of the Russian state.
