Three Bulgarians were arrested in the UK for allegedly working as spies for Russia Tuesday (August 15).
According to the BBC, the three Bulgarians were identified as Orlin Roussev (45), Bizer Dzhambazov (41), and Katrin Ivanova (31). Counter-terrorism detectives from the Metropolitan Police have seized from them identity documents with "improper intention," and are alleged to have had these knowing they were fake.
The documents included passports, identity cards, and other documents for the UK, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, and the Czech Republic.
Counter-terrorism police have spoken publicly about the increasing amount of time spent on suspected state threats and espionage, especially relating to Russia, after several notorious incidents from recent years involving Russian intelligence operations in the UK.
Authorities in NATO ally Poland have also arrested two Russians this week for allegedly spreading Wagner propaganda after an incident where helicopters from Belarus allegedly crossed into the Polish border.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities have arrested several people who were allegedly spying for Russia in its efforts to invade Ukraine, including a foiled assassination attempt on President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Read Also: Poland Arrests Two Russians for Allegedly Spreading Wagner Propaganda as Tensions Soar Near Border
Hiding in Plain Sight
The trio, who were arrested under the Official Secrets Act, have reportedly been living in the UK for quite some time and have worked in a variety of jobs and living in a series of suburban properties.
Roussev, who has a history of business dealings with Russia, moved to Norfolk in 2009 and spent three years working in a technical role in financial services. His LinkedIn profile said he later owned a business involved in signals intelligence, which involved the interception of communication or electronic signals. Roussev also stated he once acted as an adviser to the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy.
Meanwhile, Dzhambazov and Ivanova lived together at a unit in Harrow, in northwest London since they arrived in around 2013. Former neighbors described the two as a couple whose work revolved around the medical field. They previously ran a community organization providing services to Bulgarian people, including familiarizing them with the culture and norms of British society.
According to Bulgarian state documents online, they also worked for electoral commissions in London which facilitate voting in Bulgarian elections by citizens living abroad.
The three are currently under custody and are due to go on trial at the Old Bailey in London in January 2024. They are yet to enter pleas to the charges.
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