Russian spies planned to kidnap journalist, trial hears

A Russian spy compartment operating successful the UK planned to kidnap a writer and smuggle him retired of the state utilizing a tiny boat, the Old Bailey has heard.

The tribunal has heard that Jan Marsalek, an Austrian nationalist who acted arsenic a Russian agent, exchanged thousands of messages with Orlin Roussev from Great Yarmouth.

Roussev, 46, and different man, Biser Dzhambazov, 43, from London, person admitted conspiracy to spy.

Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, each from London, contradict conspiracy to spy. Ms Ivanova besides denies possessing aggregate mendacious individuality documents.

Jurors person heard the 5 Bulgarian nationals were progressive successful six operations against individuals and places of involvement to the Russian authorities implicit astir 3 years.

The proceedings has been told the defendants worked nether the absorption of Roussev, and that he, successful turn, received instructions from Jan Marsalek, who was moving arsenic an "intermediary for the Russian quality services".

One people was Roman Dobrokhotov, a Russian investigative writer based successful the UK, the tribunal has heard.

Jurors heard astir messages betwixt Roussev and Marsalek successful August 2022 astir getting Mr Dobrokhotov retired of the UK via boat.

Roussev wrote: "I volition brainstorm with Max [Dzhambazov] astir Operation "Fishing Boat" for Roman Dobrokhotov extremity of week".

Marsalek told him that a "successful cognition connected British crushed would beryllium amazing" aft the failed nervus cause onslaught connected Sergei Skripal successful Salisbury.

Mr Skripal, his girl Yulia and erstwhile constabulary serviceman Nick Bailey were poisoned by Novichok successful Salisbury, Wiltshire, successful March 2018 but survived. Dawn Sturgess, 44, died successful July 2018 aft she was exposed to the nervus agent, which had been near successful a discarded perfume vessel successful adjacent Amesbury.

The tribunal heard determination was treatment betwixt Roussev and Marsalek astir backstage boats from Norwich and Hull.

Roussev besides wrote that "operation 'boat trip''' would impact 4 radical and him, adding that "everything volition beryllium IN-HOUSE"

He said those progressive would beryllium "Max + Ivan", meaning Dzhambazov and a antheral called Ivan Stoyanov, positive "one much SWAT feline from Bulgaria (this is Commando Unit) and a 68y aged and precise very experienced 'Sea Wolf' from Bulgaria, aged schoolhouse guys retired Navy adept from the Old Soviet time".

Roussev added: "He has 2 tiny boats and helium had been moving conscionable for idiosyncratic amusive a batch of vessel races betwixt Southampton and Spain/Portugal".

The tribunal besides heard that Marsalek said 1 of his alleged operatives was "afraid of Novichok" aft she passed connected the mobile pin fig of Mr Dobrokhotov.

Messages work to the assemblage related to a formation taken by Mr Dobrokhotov successful November 2021, which Ms Ivanova followed him onto, allegedly utilizing a camera hidden successful a enarthrosis strap.

Ms Ivanova sent unrecorded updates to a radical chat, which included Roussev, astir Mr Dobrokhotov's enactment connected the flight, including that helium had 2 phones, was utilizing societal media, and that helium "listened to euphony and played Sodoku".

She provided a pin fig she watched him entering into a mobile phone, which jurors heard was close but for an further incorrect digit astatine the end.

Roussev past passed connected details to Marsalek, writing: "Our "agent" was precise observant" and giving the phone's "lock code".

In response, Marsalek wrote: "Afraid of Novichok" on with a smiley look emoji.

The tribunal was besides work messages betwixt Roussev and Marsalek astir a imaginable surveillance cognition successful Ukraine relating to investigative writer Christo Grozev, different people of the cell.

The messages were from February 2022, conscionable weeks earlier Russia's penetration of Ukraine that month. At archetypal the 2 men discussed plans but soon afterwards Marsalek wrote saying the cognition would not beryllium possible.

Marsalek wrote: "Our friends are disquieted our beingness mightiness interfere with different overlapping cognition successful Ukraine".

He added: "They would similar if we'd abstain from immoderate connected the crushed enactment successful Ukraine astatine the moment."