Russian spy ring plotted to kidnap journalist and smuggle him out of UK by boat, trial hears

10 December 2024, 15:31 | Updated: 10 December 2024, 19:04

A spy ring planned to exploit the small boats crisis to kidnap a dissident journalist in Britain and take him back to Russia, the Old Bailey has heard.

The court previously heard Orlin Roussev, 46, ran a spy ring from a guesthouse in Great Yarmouth and "tasked" a network of people, including five Bulgarian nationals who are on trial.

He has admitted conspiracy to spy for Russia, along with another man, Biser Dzhambazov, 43, from London.

Three others deny being part of a spy ring, targeting people and places of interest to the Russian state over three years.

On Tuesday, the Old Bailey trial heard Roussev had proposed an operation using a fishing boat to smuggle their target, a British-based dissident called Roman Dobrokhotov, out of the UK.

Mr Dobrokhotov, an investigative journalist, ran a publication called The Insider and fled Russia after helping uncover the agents behind the Salisbury novichok attack.

The operation was planned with Roussev's handler, Jan Marsalek, an Austrian who is wanted in connection with a €1.9bn (£1.57bn) banking fraud.

The court heard that during an exchange of messages, Marsalek told Roussev: "A successful operation on British ground would be amazing after the f*** up Skripal stuff," referring to the botched attempt to use novichok in Salisbury.

On 7 August 2022, he told Roussev: "We might get the opportunity to kidnap Dobrokhotov, any ideas how to do this?"

Jurors heard that Roussev replied: "If we have the green light, we have the team."

He wrote that "due to Brexit and cost-cutting, the UK coastguard has only two speed boats operational for the entire UK coastline" adding a laughing emoji.

"Now the UK does not even have working drones to fly and monitor - but wait, there is more, so instead of getting speed boats and patrol vessels, the UK passed new law from now to send all immigrants by boat to Rwanda but did nothing to protect the waters, nothing," the Old Bailey was told.

Roussev suggested taking Dobrokhotov "by boat to international waters" adding that "nobody will expect this". Marsalek commented: "Dobrokhotov will be a counter-migrant."

However, he added: "The problem is how to collect him on international waters. I'm not sure the guys here will trust our abilities enough to place a submarine at our command."

Roussev suggested using himself and two other men, along with "one more SWAT guy from Bulgaria and a 68-year-old and very, very experienced sea wolf from Bulgaria, old school guy retired navy expert from the old soviet time."

However, Marsalek eventually stopped the plans.

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The jury heard that Marsalek told Roussev: "Been discussing our Dobrokhotov topic extensively yesterday. The guys raised the valid concern that we shouldn't run any such operation with that team that has never done this before in the country of residence of some of the team members."

In response, Roussev protested: "Well the suggestion of not using local residents, if that is the main driver for any planning, is like Argentina playing the World Cup final at home and asking Maradona not to play because he might get an injury."

Three defendants deny charges of being part of the spy ring: Katrin Ivanova, 33, a lab assistant from Harrow, north London; Vanya Gaberova, 30, a beautician from Acton, west London; and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, a painter and decorator from Enfield.

All five are Bulgarians with "settled status" in the UK.

The trial continues.