The head of a Russian espionage cell operating out of the UK has been handed a prison sentence of 10 years and eight months by a London judge, with his five accomplices receiving a combined sentence of around 40 years. Prosecutors described the group as an arm of Kremlin-backed surveillance operations.
Orlin Roussev, 47, admitted to conspiring to spy for Russia after investigators uncovered a trove of encrypted messages between him and Jan Marsalek—an international fugitive and former Wirecard executive—who allegedly coordinated the Bulgarian-led operation from abroad.
Judge Nicholas Hilliard underscored the severity of Roussev's actions, noting they posed a substantial danger to the UK's national security. The group reportedly monitored journalists, political dissidents, and Ukrainian military personnel training at a U.S. base in Germany.
Three members of the spy ring were convicted in March, while Roussev, his right-hand man Bizer Dzhambazov, 44, and associate Ivan Stoyanov, 33, had previously pleaded guilty. Dzhambazov received a 10-year, two-month sentence; his ex-partner Katrin Ivanova, 33, was given nine years and eight months.
Another operative, Vanya Gaberova, 30, was sentenced to eight years, reduced slightly for time already served. Her former partner Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, was also sentenced to eight years, and Stoyanov was handed six years and four months, with credit for time in custody.
Though the group didn’t work directly for Russia’s official intelligence services, authorities believe financial incentives were their primary motive. The Russian embassy has remained silent on the convictions, though the Kremlin has consistently denied any link to espionage activities.
Tensions between the UK and Russia have intensified since the war in Ukraine began, with Britain accusing Moscow of orchestrating destabilizing acts across Europe.
Marsalek, wanted in Germany for his role in the collapse of Wirecard, remains at large and is presumed to be in Russia. His legal representatives have declined to comment.
Authorities described the group’s actions as “espionage on an industrial scale.” Among their plots was an attempt to intercept communications at a U.S. base near Stuttgart—believed to be a training ground for Ukrainian forces learning to operate Patriot missile systems.
Thousands of messages revealed a strange blend of operational planning and dark humor, including references to the 2018 poisoning of Sergei Skripal in the UK. In one 2022 exchange, Marsalek sent Roussev a selfie clad in combat fatigues marked with a “Z”—the pro-war symbol adopted by Russian forces in Ukraine.
The pair also conversed about Russia’s military intelligence agency (GRU), proposed arms deals with Cameroon, and even floated the idea of an airlift from Kabul during the Taliban takeover in 2021. Surprisingly, their chats also included admiration for Elon Musk and ambitions to supply drones to Moscow.