LONDON — Three Bulgarian nationals have been found guilty of spying for Russia, in what police have described as "one of the largest" foreign intelligence operations in the UK.

Vanya Gaberova, 30, Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, who were all living in London, were part of a group that carried out surveillance on people and places between 2020 and 2023.

The trio had day jobs as a beautician, a healthcare worker, and a decorator, while they secretly monitored journalists and a US military base in Germany.

The methods they used were the sort of thing you would "expect to see in a spy novel", said the Metropolitan Police's Cdr Dominic Murphy.

While they lived double lives their plans included plots to kidnap and kill targets as well as plans to ensnare them in so-called honeytraps.

Gaberova, of Euston, Ivanova, of Harrow, and Ivanchev, of Acton, were convicted of conspiracy to spy, while Ivanova was also convicted of possessing multiple false identity documents.

They were working for fellow Bulgarian Orlin Roussev, 47, who ran the spy ring from a 33-room former guest house in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Here police found a "treasure trove" of spying gadgets and equipment, including cameras hidden in ties, a camera hidden in a fake rock, and glasses containing recording equipment.

Roussev previously admitted conspiracy to spy, alongside Biser Dzhambazov, 43, from London, while a sixth defendant, Ivan Stoyanov, 34, admitted spying before the trial.

The cell's key targets were investigative journalists Christo Grozev and Roman Dobrokhotov, whose work includes exposing Russia's role in the nerve agent attacks on Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2020 and Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2018.

During the trial, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said the spy cell was "sophisticated in their methodology; carrying out surveillance activity of individuals and places; manufacturing and using false identities and deploying advanced technology to acquire information".

The police investigation received 221 mobile phones, 495 sim cards, 11 drones, and devices allowing data to be extracted from phones and eavesdropping on wi-fi activity.

Met counter-terrorism chief Cdr Murphy said the case was an "extremely sophisticated" operation that "posed a threat to national security and individuals".

The spy cell worked under the direction of Roussev, who in turn received instructions from Jan Marsalek.

The Austrian national, who is wanted in Germany for his alleged fraud linked to the financial services company Wirecard, was described by prosecutors as an "intermediary for the Russian intelligence services".

Roussev and Marsalek met a decade ago, with Roussev subsequently recruited as a spy. He then recruited other Bulgarians to undertake espionage operations.

The spy cell had other jobs – Gaberova was a beautician, Ivanchev a painter and decorator, Roussev was at one stage the chief technology officer for a city of London financial firm.

Stoyanov worked as a medical courier, but also fought in mixed martial arts fights using the nickname "The Destroyer".

Dzhambazov and Ivanova lived together as a couple and worked in healthcare jobs, but also ran a Bulgarian community organization that provided courses on "British values".

But Dzhambazov was also in a relationship with Gaberova – they were found in bed together when police made arrests – and Ivanchev had separately been in a relationship with her in the past.

During their trial, Ivanova and Gaberova admitted undertaking surveillance operations but denied knowing it was for the benefit of Russia.

Ivanchev did not give evidence during the trial but outlined a similar position during police interviews after being arrested. He was arrested a year after the other five defendants and told police he had several conversations with MI5. — BBC