Two Bulgarian women involved in a Russian espionage ring were sentenced to jail on Monday after a dramatic case that exposed the underhanded tactics used by foreign intelligence services on UK soil. Katrin Ivanova and Vanya Gaberova, recruited into the spy operation by their shared lover, Biser Dzhambazov, were both sentenced at the Old Bailey.
Mr. Justice Hilliard, overseeing the case, declared that the agents, despite being manipulated by Dzhambazov, were willing participants in the espionage operation that endangered the safety and interests of the UK. The network, which included six Bulgarian nationals, conducted surveillance on various targets across Europe, including investigative journalists, Russian dissidents, the Kazakhstan embassy in London, and a US military base in Germany used for training Ukrainian soldiers.
Ivanova, now 33, moved to the UK with Dzhambazov when she was just 19, but it wasn’t until their arrest that she learned of his affair with Gaberova. At the time of their capture, the two women were found together in bed, stark naked. Ivanova, who had lived with Dzhambazov in Harrow, was sentenced to 9 years and 8 months in prison.
Gabervoa, an award-winning eyelash technician, was sentenced to 8 years. Described as vulnerable and infatuated, she was reportedly manipulated by Dzhambazov at every stage of their relationship, with the judge acknowledging her initial reluctance. Anthony Metzer KC, defending Gaberova, explained that she was unaware of Ivanova’s involvement in the spy ring and had been drawn into it due to her emotions.
The leader of the operation, Biser Dzhambazov, was sentenced to 10 years and 2 months. Dzhambazov, aged 44, was accused of recruiting several members of the ring, including his lovers, and overseeing the surveillance activities, which were based in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. There, Orlin Roussev, a Bulgarian IT expert, operated a guesthouse, storing numerous surveillance devices used in the covert operations. Roussev pleaded guilty shortly before trial and was sentenced to 10 years and 8 months in prison.
The espionage ring, which was reportedly paid large sums for their covert activities, targeted strategic locations and individuals of interest to the Russian state. One particularly alarming plan was to infiltrate a US military base in Germany, where Ukrainian soldiers were being trained in the use of surface-to-air missiles. The spies were set to deploy IMSI trackers to gather sensitive data, information that could be used by Russian forces to target Ukrainian soldiers in the conflict.
This case highlights the growing concerns about state-sponsored espionage and the increasing use of “outsourced” intelligence work by certain nations. Commander Dominic Murphy of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command emphasized the serious threat posed by these individuals, stressing the UK’s commitment to thwarting espionage activities.
The Times UK reports that the Bulgarian spies will also face automatic deportation after serving half of their sentences, as they are all residents of the UK under Brexit rules.
