A SPY ring handed secrets and techniques to Russia for 3 years and carried out surveillance on Kremlin targets within the UK, a court docket heard.
Bulgarian nationals Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, are all accused of espionage.
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The trio carried out a “refined” surveillance operation through the use of pretend identities, jurors heard.
They allegedly plotted with a Russian agent, “Rupert Ticz”, mentioned to be Austrian nationwide Jan Marsalek, to acquire data straight or not directly helpful to Russia.
This included spying on “outstanding” people of apparent curiosity to Russia – corresponding to dissidents who had fled to Britain for their very own security, it was mentioned.
Alison Morgan KC, prosecuting, mentioned: “This case is about espionage exercise.
“Between 2020 and 2023 these three defendants along with quite a lot of different folks spied for the advantage of Russia.
“Over a interval of almost three years they sought to collect data for the advantage of Russia, an enemy of the UK, details about numerous targets, each folks and bodily areas. Info of explicit curiosity to the Russian state.
“Their exercise prompted apparent and inevitable prejudice to the protection and pursuits of the United Kingdom.”
The Outdated Bailey heard the group deployed “superior expertise” to accumulate data and compile detailed reviews.
They might usually allegedly comply with their targets round Britain in surveillance operations then report again to the Russian state.
In return, they had been allegedly paid “important quantities of cash“, it was mentioned.
Ms Morgan informed jurors: “It’s possible you’ll suppose that it’s apparent that if a bunch of people conduct espionage exercise of this sort deliberate within the UK however for the profit for Russia, it’s damaging to our nationwide safety pursuits.
“You might also suppose that it’s apparent that all through this era Russia can correctly be described as an enemy of the UK. Enemy for these functions consists of any nation which represents a menace to our nationwide safety.”
The defendants have denied a cost of conspiracy to spy between August 30 2020 and February 8 2023.
Ivanova has denied a second cost of possession of false identification paperwork with improper intention below part 4 of the Identification Paperwork Act 2010.
Two extra defendants, Orlin Roussev and Biser Dzhambazov, have pleaded responsible to espionage expenses, the court docket was informed
The trial continues.
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