Britain Charges Sixth Bulgarian in Russian Spy Ring Case

Britain has changed a sixth person with being part of a suspected Russian spy ring operating mainly out of London.

Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 38, of west London, was arrested in February 2024 and is accused of conspiring to collect information intended to be 'directly or indirectly useful to an enemy'.

Five other Bulgarian nationals will be tried October after being charged with the same offence. Orlin Roussev, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and London-based Bizer Dzhambazov, Katrin Ivanova, Ivan Stoyanov, and Vanya Gaberova were arrested in 2023. They have all lived in the UK for years.

The spy cell is suspected of operating between August 2020 and February 2023 when they were arrested. The group allegedly conducted surveillance on targets and worked on active operations in the UK and Europe.

Three of the Bulgarian suspects were also charged with possessing fake ID documents - including passports - with ‘improper intention’ under the Identity Documents Act.