Five individuals suspected of engaging in espionage on behalf of Russia have been apprehended under the Official Secrets Act. Three among them also face additional charges after being found in possession of multiple passports issued by various countries.This trio was discovered with 19 passports, driving licenses, identity cards, and residence permits from countries such as the UK, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Greece, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia.
All three of the charged individuals are believed to be of Bulgarian nationality. Dzambazov and Ivanova are reported to be in a relationship. Ivanova, who identifies herself as a laboratory assistant for a private health business on LinkedIn, collaborated with Dzambazov to create a social platform for the Bulgarian community in the UK. The platform aims to help individuals access English language courses and acquire documents necessary for living and working in London. They claim their motivation is rooted in a sense of justice rather than monetary gain.
Roussev, on the other hand, is listed as an officer of a company called MyTotal TV Ltd on Companies House. His LinkedIn profile indicates his past role as an adviser to the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy.
The trio charged has been remanded in custody and is expected to appear at the Old Bailey at a later date. The two remaining individuals arrested, a 31-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, have been released on bail until September.
The Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command is leading the investigation. Former British spy Christopher Steele highlighted the significance of possessing multiple forms of identification from a counterintelligence perspective. He indicated that the government seems to believe that the arrested individuals were acting on behalf of Russian intelligence, suggesting that such operations are part of Russia’s broader state objectives.
