Bulgarian woman based in UK denies spying for Russia

Giving evidence for the first time, Ms Ivanova denied being a spy.

She accepted following people targeted by the operations, and travelling around Europe, but said she did not know the true purpose of the activity.

She said she believed one operation targeting the investigative journalist Christo Grozev was itself a form of journalism and would reveal to the public that he was corrupt.

“The plan was to try and expose Mr Grozev,” she said.

However, no information was ever published and “nothing actually happened”, she said.

She said her then-partner Biser Dzhambazov – whom she told the jury she had trusted with her life – asked her to take part in surveillance operations.

“He has been my partner for over 10 years. Why would he do something that’s going to hurt me,” she said.

The operations were to help Dzhambazov’s friend Orlin Roussev, who assisted the couple financially after they first moved to the UK in 2012, Ms Ivanova told the court.

The couple first met Roussev at East Croydon station in 2012, and went for dinner with him at a “posh” restaurant near the Thames, she said.

“I was very impressed with him,” she said. “He was someone I always wanted to be. He was a typical hero immigrant story.”

Both Dzhambazov and Roussev have already admitted conspiracy to spy for Russia.

Ms Ivanova wiped away tears in the witness box as she described learning how her partner was arrested in bed with the other alleged female spy in this trial, Vanya Gaberova, 30.

Jurors have heard that Dzhambazov and Ms Gaberova were in bed together when the police arrived to arrest them in February 2023.

She said Dzhambazov told her he had a brain tumour and went abroad for treatment. She now believes that was a lie so he could live a “parallel life” with Ms Gaberova.

The trial continues.