Five Bulgarians charged with spying for Russia

Five Bulgarians have been charged with spying for Russia and will appear in court in London, ITV News Reporter Martha Fairlie explains the allegations

Five Bulgarians have been charged with spying for Russia.

Orlin Roussev, 45, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk; Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, and Katrin Ivanova, 31, both from Harrow, west London, Ivan Stoyanov, 31, from Greenford, west London, and Vanya Gaberova, 29, from Churchway, north-west London are accused of conspiring to gather information that would be useful to an enemy.

They are alleged to have done so between August 2020 and February this year.

Roussev, Dzhambazov, and Ivanova were previously charged in February with possession of false identity documents with improper intention.

They were released on bail until this month.

Nick Price, head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “The CPS has authorised a charge of conspiracy to conduct espionage against three men and two women suspected of spying for Russia.

“Orlin Roussev, 45, Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, Katrin Ivanova, 31, Ivan Stoyanov, 31, and Vanya Gaberova, 29, will be charged with conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state between August 30 2020 and February 8 2023.

“Roussev, Dzhambazov and Ivanova were previously charged on February 11 2023 with possession of false identity documents with improper intention under section 4 of the Identity Documents Act 2010."

They are all due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on September 26.

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