A London court is expected to hand down sentences today to six Bulgarian nationals convicted of conducting espionage operations on behalf of Russian military intelligence across several European countries, including the United Kingdom.
The verdict, delivered after a multi-day trial at the Old Bailey, follows a sweeping investigation that uncovered a sophisticated spy ring working to surveil Kremlin dissidents and Western targets between 2020 and 2023.
The six individuals — Vanya Gaberova, Katrin Ivanova, Biser Dzhambazov, Tihomir Ivanchev, Orlin Rusev, and Ivan Stoyanov — were found guilty of offenses under the Official Secrets Act. Three of the defendants pleaded guilty, while the remaining three contested the charges but were ultimately convicted.
The espionage cell, nicknamed “The Minions” after the animated yellow characters, was coordinated by Orlin Rusev from his home in Great Yarmouth, East Anglia.
Rusev acted as the central figure of the group, allegedly taking orders from Austrian national Jan Marsalek, the former Wirecard COO who has been living under a false identity in Moscow since fleeing German authorities. A 2022 journalistic investigation reported that Marsalek is currently under the protection of Russian intelligence.
According to prosecutors, Rusev received over €200,000 to fund the group’s activities, which included surveillance, intelligence gathering, and forging documents.
When UK counterintelligence officers raided Rusev’s property in February 2023, they found an array of espionage equipment, including covert recording devices concealed in everyday items such as a necktie, a soda bottle, a stuffed toy, and software used for passport forgery.
Analysis of over 100,000 Telegram messages from the group revealed at least six coordinated operations across the UK, Austria, Spain, Germany, and Montenegro.
Targets included prominent investigative journalists and political dissidents viewed as hostile to the Kremlin. Among them was Bulgarian journalist Hristo Grozev, known for his work on Russian security services, and Roman Dobrokhotov, a Russian journalist and founder of The Insider, a publication focused on exposing Russian corruption and disinformation. The group also tracked former Kazakh politician Bergey Riskaliev, who has refugee status in the UK.
Investigators also uncovered plans to surveil a U.S. military base near Stuttgart, Germany. The group reportedly believed that Ukrainian troops were undergoing training there to operate Patriot missile systems amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The high-profile case has drawn international attention as a stark reminder of Russia’s continued intelligence operations on European soil. Legal experts say the severity of the charges and the volume of evidence point to likely stiff sentences for the defendants.
As the sentencing hearing commences, national security officials across Europe are expected to follow closely, viewing the outcome as a bellwether for how Western courts will handle escalating acts of foreign espionage tied to the Kremlin.
The six face possible lengthy prison terms for their roles in what the prosecution called a “deeply embedded and well-resourced” foreign intelligence network operating on British soil.