A UK-based spy ring allegedly passed information to Russia for nearly three years and conducted surveillance on targets across Europe. The ring included three Bulgarian nationals who were accused of targeting individuals and locations of interest to Russia, including an award-winning Bulgarian journalist who worked with Alexei Navalny. Discussions were reportedly held about killing or kidnapping the journalist and taking him to Moscow, as well as using a “honey trap” ploy to gather more information. The defendants allegedly worked with other spies in various European cities between 2020 and 2023, with two of them pleading guilty to espionage charges.
The spy ring’s activities allegedly caused harm to the safety and interests of the UK, and they were said to have worked with a Russian agent named “Rupert Ticz” to obtain material useful to Russia. Surveillance operations were conducted at locations such as a US military base in Stuttgart in 2022, believed to be a training location for Ukrainian forces.
The defendants denied conspiring to collect information for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state and one of them also denied possessing false identity documents. The trial is expected to continue until February next year, with prosecutors describing the operation as high-risk and highly sophisticated. The case highlights the ongoing threat of espionage and foreign interference in Europe, particularly targeting dissidents and journalists critical of the Russian government.
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