Two more ‘Russian spies’ charged in UK after Katrin Ivanova, Bizer Dzhambazov and Orlin Roussev accused of conspiracy

TWO more Bulgarian nationals have today been charged after being accused of spying for Russia in the UK.

Orlin Roussev, 45, Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, and Katrin Ivanova, 31, were charged last month after a major national security investigation.

Two other Bulgarian nationals, Ivan Stoyanov, 31, and Vanya Gaberova, 29, were also arrested during the probe.

The Crown Prosecution Service today revealed Stoyanov and Gaberova would be charged with conspiracy to conduct espionage.

The group will appear in court on Tuesday next week.

It comes after it was revealed Dzhambazov and Ivanova had lived an unsuspecting life in London for 10 years.

The pair would even call over to their neighbours with pies and cakes as gifts.

Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, today said: “The CPS has authorised a charge of conspiracy to conduct espionage against three men and two women suspected of spying for Russia.

“Orlin Roussev, 45, Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, Katrin Ivanova, 31, Ivan Stoyanov, 31, and Vanya Gaberova, 29, will be charged with conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state between 30 August 2020 and 8 February 2023.

“Roussev, Dzhambazov, and Ivanova were previously charged on 11 February 2023 with possession of false identity documents with improper intention under section 4 of the Identity Documents Act 2010.

“The charges follow an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command.  

“Criminal proceedings against the five individuals are active and they each have the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.

“The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider.”