Russian ‘spies’: New details of ‘UK spy ring’ emerge as neighbours reveal ‘agents showered them with gifts’
NEW details of a suspected UK spy ring have emerged - with neighbours claiming that Russian agents showered them with gifts.
Katrin Ivanova, 31, is understood to have moved to Harrow in north west London with Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, more than 10 years ago.
But they were snatched by anti-terror cops in February after their cover was blown - and have been in custody ever since.
Neighbour Hari Krishna, 33, lived on the same floor as the suspected Russian spies.
He told The Sun: "They were very good at gelling into the block and always offered people gifts, including coffee, Bulgarian sweets and flowers.
"Even when my mum visited from India, they offered her presents.
Read More UK News
"There were a lot of guests and lots of gatherings in the evenings at their flat.
"Sometimes I would catch them at the postbox and they would say ‘Good morning doctor’."
Hari also claimed that car enthusiast "Max" owned several motors, including a BMW and Chrysler.
Bulgarian nationals Ivanova and Dzhambazov have been charged with holding UK, Bulgarian, French, Italian, Spanish, Croatian, Slovenian, Greek and Czech passports with "improper intention".
Most read in The Sun
They were arrested under the Official Secrets Act alongside fellow Bulgarian Orlin Roussev, 45.
Do you know more? Email Harry Goodwin: [email protected]
The trio are accused of posing as journalists with forged press cards and clothing branded with the logos of the Discovery and National Geographic channels.
reports that they allegedly used the uniforms for for surveillance operations against targets in London, Germany and Montenegro.
A 31-year-old man from west London and a 29-year-old woman from north London have also been arrested.
Scotland Yard said: "On 8 February 2023, officers from the Met’s Specialist Operations arrested five people on suspicion of an offence under the Official Secrets Act 1911."
Roussev allegedly ran a forgery operation from his room in a guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
His profile on LinkedIn says that he ran a signals intelligence business and that he advised pro-Kremlin politician Petar Dimitrov.
Cops allegedly discovered forgery kit when they raided the guesthouse.
