Russian 'honeytrap spy' tells court she was ‘lied to, manipulated and used’

An alleged Russian spy has tearfully told jurors she knew thing of plans to deploy her arsenic a “honeytrap”, saying she was “lied to, manipulated, used, and exposed”.

Vanya Gaberova, 30, is accused of being portion of a spy ringing which targeted radical and places of involvement to the Russian authorities implicit 3 years.

It is alleged she befriended Christo Grozev connected Facebook to get adjacent to the writer who uncovered Russian engagement successful the 2018 Salisbury Novichok poisoning.

In August 2021, Gaberova had accompanied her Russian spy person Biser Dzhambazov, 43, to Vienna successful Austria and holed up successful a rented flat adjacent to Mr Grozev’s location for surveillance, the tribunal heard.

They allegedly followed him to Valencia successful Spain, wherever Mr Grozev attended a Bellingcat league and Dzhambazov’s spouse Katrin Ivanova adjacent travelled connected the aforesaid plane.

Gaberova, described successful messages arsenic a “killer sexy brunette”, was sitting conscionable metres from Mr Grozev arsenic helium had meal with chap Bellingcat writer Eliot Higgins.

Under cross-examination connected Thursday, Gaberova insisted she knew thing of the cautiously planned cognition against Mr Grozev, telling jurors: “Seeing each of this now, I was lied to, manipulated, used, exposed.”

By September 2021, spy main Orlin Roussev and alleged Russian cause Jan Marsalek were readying to technologist a “romance” betwixt Gaberova and Mr Grozev, jurors heard.

As portion of the honeytrap, Roussev suggested making a signaling for Pornhub, saying Gaberova was “red hot” and a “swinger too”.

Gaberova became affectional arsenic she denied knowing thing astir it, telling jurors: “These radical had horrible plans for me.”

In an earlier message, Roussev told Mr Marsalek: “I enactment into enactment 1 of the brunettes.

“She has a quality salon successful London and precise good, wide web of radical connected Facebook and Instagram.

“She sent invitation to Grozev connected Facebook and helium was precise speedy to judge friendship.”

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC asked what she understood she was doing erstwhile she primitively befriended Mr Grozev connected Facebook.

Gaberova repeatedly denied knowing Roussev, contempt having a interaction nether his Telegram grip “Jackie Chan” saved connected her phone.

She was asked wherefore she made a screenshot of a station connected Facebook successful which Mr Grozev’s caller illustration representation was described by an “attractive brunette” arsenic beauteous successful Russian.

Ms Morgan suggested this was the benignant of pistillate Mr Grozev mightiness beryllium funny successful and bore a “very akin resemblance” to the defendant.

Gaberova, who declined to manus implicit her Facebook password, told jurors: “Mr Grozev ne'er liked my picture, I ne'er messaged him, I ne'er talked to him.”

She told jurors Dzhambazov had claimed to beryllium moving for Interpol and had told her Mr Grozev was a “bad journalist”.

Dzhambazov, from Harrow, north-west London, and Roussev, 46, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, person admitted plotting to spy for Russia betwixt 2020 and 2023.

Fellow Bulgarians Gaberova, her ex-boyfriend Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, of Acton, westbound London, and Ivanova, from Harrow, person denied involvement.

The tribunal has heard however Gaberova, an award-winning “lashes queen”, was charmed by “ugly” Dzhambazov successful Valencia and near her fellow Ivanchev, unaware the older antheral was inactive with his spouse Ivanova.

Jurors viewed extracts of erstwhile competitory swimmer and painter-and-decorator Ivanchev’s constabulary interviews, successful which Ms Morgan suggested helium had attempted to propulsion Gaberova “under a bus” to prevention himself.

He blamed Gaberova for getting him involved, accused her of “manipulating” him and claimed she was utilized arsenic a “shield” by Dzhambazov, jurors heard.

Ms Morgan said Ivanchev’s relationship was “nonsense”, asking: “Do you cognize the look ‘throwing idiosyncratic nether the bus’?

“He is trying to enactment you successful it to prevention himself isn’t he? Give the constabulary officers a spot of accusation present and determination to marque it look similar helium is the tenable 1 answering each the questions, meantime pretending that someway oregon different helium was manipulated into doing each this by you. And it’s not existent is it?”

Gaberova replied: “Some of this was due to the fact that Biser has told maine that helium is sick.”

Ms Morgan pressed: “Would you hold that Mr Ivanchev does not look to person told constabulary officers the information astir what was going on?”

The suspect replied: “I can’t accidental thing astir that. I cannot talk for him.”

The Old Bailey proceedings continues.