Spy ring passed secrets to Russia for three years & carried out surveillance on Kremlin targets in UK, court told

A SPY ringing passed secrets to Russia for 3 years and carried retired surveillance connected Kremlin targets successful the UK, a tribunal heard.

Bulgarian nationals Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, are each accused of espionage.

The trio carried retired a "sophisticated" surveillance cognition by utilizing fake identities, jurors heard.

They allegedly plotted with a Russian agent, "Rupert Ticz", said to beryllium Austrian nationalist Jan Marsalek, to get accusation straight oregon indirectly utile to Russia.

This included spying connected "prominent" individuals of evident involvement to Russia - specified arsenic dissidents who had fled to Britain for their ain safety, it was said.

Alison Morgan KC, prosecuting, said: "This lawsuit is astir espionage activity.

"Between 2020 and 2023 these 3 defendants unneurotic with a fig of different radical spied for the payment of Russia.

"Over a play of astir 3 years they sought to stitchery accusation for the payment of Russia, an force of the UK, accusation astir assorted targets, some radical and carnal locations. Information of peculiar involvement to the Russian state.

"Their enactment caused evident and inevitable prejudice to the information and interests of the United Kingdom."

The Old Bailey heard the radical deployed "advanced technology" to get accusation and compile elaborate reports.

They would often allegedly travel their targets astir Britain successful surveillance operations past study backmost to the Russian state.

In return, they were allegedly paid "significant amounts of money", it was said.

Ms Morgan told jurors: "You whitethorn deliberation that it is evident that if a radical of individuals behaviour espionage enactment of this benignant planned successful the UK but for the payment for Russia, it is damaging to our nationalist information interests.

"You whitethorn besides deliberation that it is evident that passim this play Russia tin decently beryllium described arsenic an force of the UK. Enemy for these purposes includes immoderate state which represents a menace to our nationalist security."

The defendants person denied a complaint of conspiracy to spy betwixt August 30 2020 and February 8 2023.

Ivanova has denied a 2nd complaint of possession of mendacious individuality documents with improper volition nether conception 4 of the Identity Documents Act 2010.

Two much defendants, Orlin Roussev and Biser Dzhambazov, person pleaded blameworthy to espionage charges, the court was told

The proceedings continues.