Three 'Russian spies' charged in UK after hiding behind everyday suburban lives for DECADE & baking cakes for neighbours | The Sun

THREE suspected spies for Russia in Britain have been charged after five people were arrested in a major national security investigation.

Orlin Roussev, 45, Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, and Katrin Ivanova, 31, led unassuming suburban lives in Britain for the last 10 years – even calling over to their neighbours with homemade cakes.

But their cover was blown in february when they were held by anti-terrorism cops and have been remanded in custody since.

The Bulgarian nationals are charged with possessing identity documents with "improper intention", reports The BBC.

These include passports and IDs for UK, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, and the Czech Republic.

They were arrested under the Official Secrets Act by counter-terrorism detectives from the Metropolitan Police.

All three are set to go on trial at the Old Bailey in London in January.

The trio spent the last decade in the UK building up seemingly normal lives – hiding in plain sight.

Dzhambazov and Ivanova, lived together in Harrow, north-west London, for last ten years.

Former neighbours of the couple said they brought round pies and cakes as gifts.

Most read in The Sun

Dzhambazov has reportedly worked as a hospital driver, while Ivanova worked as a private sector laboratory assistant. 

The pair also ran a Bulgarian community organisation, which introduces Bulgarians into the "culture and norms of British society".

The couple are also understood to have worked for electoral commissions in London, which help Bulgarian nationals living outside the country to vote in its elections.

Meanwhile, Roussev, of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, is said to have a documented history of business dealings with Russia.

He moved to the UK in 2009 where he has worked in financial services.

His most-recent address is listed as a guest house in the seaside town Great Yarmouth.

It comes just months after Westminster was rocked by a major spying scandal after MI5 accused a Labour donor of being a suspected Chinese agent targeting MPs.

The Security Services issued an alert and picture of Chinese national Christine Lee and accused her of "facilitating financial donations to serving and aspiring politicians".

Britain has also been targeted by Russia agents in recent years – the most infamous case being the nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

Putin's men – Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov – managed to fly into London Gatwick and catch the train to Salisbury where they attempted to kill the defector and his daughter.

The two men attempted to pose as tourists during their time in the UK – claiming they were just visiting Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral.

And back in 2018 the UK kicked out 23 Russian diplomats who were understood to have been identified as undeclared intelligence officers.

The US has also found itself rooting out agents working for Putin.

Maria Butina was found to have been acting as a spy and attempting to steer US politics as she embedded herself in Washington DC.

She was jailed in 2018 before being deported back to Russia, where she is now a member of Putin's parliament – the State Duma.

And then Russian model Anna Chapman, the daughter of a KGB official, was arrested in 2010 after she is suspected to have worked as an agent in the US.

Read More on The Sun

Tributes to girl, 10, found dead at home as international hunt continues

X Factor star looks unrecognisable as Fearne Cotton marks his birthday

She was given back to the Kremlin regime as part of a spy swap deal along with nine other suspected agents.

The Sun has contacted Met Police for comment.

Source: Read Full Article