Bulgarian woman based in UK denies spying for Russia

A Bulgarian pistillate charged with being portion of a Russian spy compartment operating successful the UK has denied knowing that accusation she gathered would beryllium sent to Russia.

Katrin Ivanova, 33, is accused of spying for Russia successful a bid of elaborate operations successful the UK and Europe.

She allegedly targeted a US subject basal successful Germany and secretly filmed 2 investigative journalists regarded arsenic enemies of the Russian state.

Jurors person heard determination was a hazard the journalists could beryllium kidnaped oregon assassinated.

Giving grounds for the archetypal time, Ms Ivanova denied being a spy.

She accepted pursuing radical targeted by the operations, and travelling astir Europe, but said she did not cognize the existent intent of the activity.

She said she believed 1 cognition targeting the investigative writer Christo Grozev was itself a signifier of journalism and would uncover to the nationalist that helium was corrupt.

"The program was to effort and exposure Mr Grozev," she said.

However, nary accusation was ever published and "nothing really happened", she said.

She said her then-partner Biser Dzhambazov – whom she told the assemblage she had trusted with her beingness – asked her to instrumentality portion successful surveillance operations.

"He has been my spouse for implicit 10 years. Why would helium bash thing that's going to wounded me," she said.

The operations were to assistance Dzhambazov's person Orlin Roussev, who assisted the mates financially aft they archetypal moved to the UK successful 2012, Ms Ivanova told the court.

The mates archetypal met Roussev astatine East Croydon presumption successful 2012, and went for meal with him astatine a "posh" edifice adjacent the Thames, she said.

"I was precise impressed with him," she said. "He was idiosyncratic I ever wanted to be. He was a emblematic leader migrant story."

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

Ms Ivanova wiped distant tears successful the witnesser container arsenic she described learning however her spouse was arrested successful furniture with the different alleged pistillate spy successful this trial, Vanya Gaberova, 30.

Jurors person heard that Dzhambazov and Ms Gaberova were successful furniture unneurotic erstwhile the constabulary arrived to apprehension them successful February 2023.

She said Dzhambazov told her helium had a encephalon tumour and went overseas for treatment. She present believes that was a prevarication truthful helium could unrecorded a "parallel life" with Ms Gaberova.

The proceedings continues.