Russian Spy Cell Allegedly Plotted Journalist Kidnapping, Court Told

The Old Bailey court was informed that a Russian espionage group active within the United Kingdom devised a scheme to abduct a journalist and transport him out of the nation via a small vessel. Testimony presented to the court indicated that Jan Marsalek, an Austrian citizen serving as a Russian operative, engaged in thousands of message exchanges with Orlin Roussev, who resides in Great Yarmouth. Mr. Roussev, aged 46, along with Biser Dzhambazov, 43, from London, have confessed to charges of conspiracy to commit espionage. Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, all based in London, have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to spy. Additionally, Ms. Ivanova denies allegations of possessing several false identity documents. The jury was informed that the five Bulgarian citizens participated in six operations targeting individuals and locations deemed significant to the Russian state across a period spanning almost three years. During the proceedings, it was stated that the defendants operated under the guidance of Roussev, who, in turn, obtained directives from Jan Marsalek, described as an “intermediary for the Russian intelligence services.” The court was apprised that Roman Dobrokhotov, a Russian investigative journalist residing in the UK, constituted one of the targets. Jurors were presented with communications exchanged between Roussev and Marsalek in August 2022 concerning the removal of Mr. Dobrokhotov from the UK by boat. Roussev penned: “I will brainstorm with Max [Dzhambazov] about Operation “Fishing Boat” for Roman Dobrokhotov end of week”. Marsalek conveyed to him that a “successful operation on British ground would be amazing” following the unsuccessful nerve agent assault on Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. Mr. Skripal, his daughter Yulia, and former police officer Nick Bailey were poisoned by Novichok in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in March 2018, but survived the incident. Dawn Sturgess, 44, passed away in July 2018 subsequent to her exposure to the nerve agent, which had been abandoned in a perfume bottle in the adjacent town of Amesbury. The court was informed of discussions between Roussev and Marsalek regarding private vessels originating from Norwich and Hull. Roussev further documented that “operation ‘boat trip”’ would encompass four individuals plus himself, stating that “everything will be IN-HOUSE”. He specified that participants would include “Max + Ivan”, referring to Dzhambazov and a man named Ivan Stoyanov, in addition to “one more SWAT guy from Bulgaria (this is Commando Unit) and a 68y old and very very experienced ‘Sea Wolf’ from Bulgaria, old school guys retired Navy expert from the Old Soviet time”. Roussev appended: “He has 2 small boats and he had been running just for personal fun a lot of boat races between Southampton and Spain/Portugal”. Furthermore, the court was informed that Marsalek remarked one of his supposed operatives was “afraid of Novichok” subsequent to her relaying Mr. Dobrokhotov’s mobile phone PIN. Communications presented to the jury pertained to a flight undertaken by Mr. Dobrokhotov in November 2021, which Ms. Ivanova boarded after him, purportedly utilizing a camera concealed within a shoulder strap. Ms. Ivanova transmitted real-time updates to a group chat, which included Roussev, detailing Mr. Dobrokhotov’s actions during the flight, noting that he possessed two phones, engaged with social media, and that he “listened to music and played Sodoku”. She furnished a PIN number that she observed him inputting into a mobile phone, which, as jurors were told, was accurate apart from an extra incorrect digit at the conclusion. Roussev subsequently relayed these specifics to Marsalek, penning: “Our “agent” was very observant” and providing the phone’s “lock code”. In reply, Marsalek wrote: “Afraid of Novichok” accompanied by a smiley face emoji. The court was additionally presented with messages exchanged between Roussev and Marsalek concerning a prospective surveillance operation in Ukraine pertaining to investigative journalist Christo Grozev, who was another individual targeted by the cell. These communications dated from February 2022, mere weeks prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that same month. Initially, the two individuals deliberated on plans, but soon after, Marsalek communicated that the operation would be unfeasible. Marsalek stated: “Our friends are worried our presence might interfere with another overlapping operation in Ukraine”. He further noted: “They would prefer if we’d abstain from any on the ground activity in Ukraine at the moment.”