A Bulgarian lady charged with being a part of a Russian spy cell working within the UK has denied realizing that info she gathered can be despatched to Russia.
Katrin Ivanova, 33, is accused of spying for Russia in a sequence of elaborate operations within the UK and Europe.
She allegedly focused a US army base in Germany and secretly filmed two investigative journalists considered enemies of the Russian state.
Jurors have heard there was a danger the journalists could possibly be kidnapped or assassinated.
Giving proof for the primary time, Ms Ivanova denied being a spy.
She accepted following folks focused by the operations, and travelling round Europe, however mentioned she didn’t know the true function of the exercise.
She mentioned she believed one operation focusing on the investigative journalist Christo Grozev was itself a type of journalism and would divulge to the general public that he was corrupt.
“The plan was to attempt to expose Mr Grozev,” she mentioned.
Nevertheless, no info was ever printed and “nothing truly occurred”, she mentioned.
She mentioned her then-partner Biser Dzhambazov – whom she advised the jury she had trusted together with her life – requested her to participate in surveillance operations.
“He has been my companion for over 10 years. Why would he do one thing that is going to harm me,” she mentioned.
The operations had been to assist Dzhambazov’s pal Orlin Roussev, who assisted the couple financially after they first moved to the UK in 2012, Ms Ivanova advised the courtroom.
The couple first met Roussev at East Croydon station in 2012, and went for dinner with him at a “posh” restaurant close to the Thames, she mentioned.
“I used to be very impressed with him,” she mentioned. “He was somebody I all the time wished to be. He was a typical hero immigrant story.”
Each Dzhambazov and Roussev have already admitted conspiracy to spy for Russia.
Ms Ivanova wiped away tears within the witness field as she described studying how her companion was arrested in mattress with the opposite alleged feminine spy on this trial, Vanya Gaberova, 30.
Jurors have heard that Dzhambazov and Ms Gaberova had been in mattress collectively when the police arrived to arrest them in February 2023.
She mentioned Dzhambazov advised her he had a mind tumour and went overseas for therapy. She now believes that was a lie so he may dwell a “parallel life” with Ms Gaberova.
The trial continues.
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, 2025-01-24 20:10:00
