Russian spies planned to kidnap journalist, trial hears

The Old Bailey has heard that a Russian spy cell operating in Britain planned to kidnap a journalist and take him out of the country using a small boat.

The court heard that Jan Marsalek, an Austrian national who acted as a Russian agent, exchanged thousands of messages with Orlin Rusev, from Great Yarmouth.

Rusev, 46, and another man, Bisar Dzhambazov, 43, of London, admitted conspiracy to commit espionage.

Kateryn Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, of London, deny conspiracy to commit espionage. Ms Ivanova has also denied possessing multiple false identity documents.

Jurors heard that five Bulgarian citizens were involved in six campaigns against Russian state individuals and sites of interest over almost three years.

The lawsuit states that the defendants acted under the direction of Rusev, and that, in turn, they received instructions from Jan Marsalek, who was acting as an “intermediary for Russian intelligence services.”

The court heard that one target was Roman Dobrokhotov, a Russian investigative journalist living in Britain.

Jurors heard about messages between Rusev and Marsalek in August 2022 about getting Mr Dobrokhotov out of the UK by boat.

Rusev wrote: “I’ll be brainstorming with Max (Dzhambazov) about Operation “Fishing Boat” for Roman Dobrokhotov at the end of the week.”

After the failed nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, Marsalek told him that “a successful operation on British soil would be wonderful”.

Mr Skripal, his daughter Yulia and former police officer Nick Bailey were poisoned by Novichok in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in March 2018, but survived. Dawn Sturgess, 44, died in July 2018 from exposure to nerve agent that was left in a discarded perfume bottle in nearby Amesbury.

The court heard that there had been discussions between Rusev and Marsallake about private yachts from Norwich and Hull.

Rusev also wrote that he and four others would be involved in “Operation ‘Boat Trip'”, adding that “everything will be done in-house”.

He said the people involved would be “Max + Ivan”, meaning Dzhambazov and a guy named Ivan Stoyanov, as well as “another SWAT guy from Bulgaria (this is the commando unit) and a 68-year-old and very experienced ‘C’ from Bulgaria. Wolf’, people of the old school, retired naval specialists from the old Soviet era.

Rusev said: “He has 2 small boats and has been racing in a lot of boat races between Southampton and Spain/Portugal just for personal fun”.

The court also heard that Marsalek said one of his alleged henchmen was “afraid of Novichok” because he had given Mr Dobrokhotov’s mobile PIN number.

The jury was read messages relating to a flight taken by Mr Dobrokhotov in November 2021, in which Ms Ivanova allegedly followed him using a camera hidden in a shoulder strap.

Ms. Ivanova sent live updates in a group chat, which also included Rusev, about Mr. Dobrokhotov’s activity on the flight, including that he had two phones, that he was using social media, and that “Listened to music and played sodoku”.

She provided a PIN number they saw her enter into a mobile phone, which jurors heard correct but ultimately heard for an additional incorrect digit.

Rusev then gave details to Marsalek, writing: “Our “agent” was very attentive” and giving the phone’s “lock code.”

In response, Marsalek wrote: “Scared of Novichok” with a smiley face emoji.

The court was also read messages between Rusev and Marsalek about a possible surveillance operation involving investigative journalist Krysto Grozev, another target of the cell in Ukraine.

The messages were from February 2022, just weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that month. At first the two men discussed plans but shortly afterwards Marsalek wrote that the operation would not be possible.

Marsalek wrote: “Our friends are concerned that our presence could interfere with another overlapping operation in Ukraine”.

He added, “They would like us to stay away from any ground activity in Ukraine at this time.”