Revealed: Second Kremlin spy ring in UK

A second Kremlin spy operation has been discovered targeting Russian dissidents in Britain, it can be revealed.

- Daniel Boffey

Roman Dobrokhotov, a journalist in the sights of the six Bulgarians convicted of spying for Russia, said he had been informed of fresh attempts to surveil his family.

"I received a warning from the police last spring," said Dobrokhotov, 41, who moved to the UK in January 2023. "These attempts are ongoing."

The details of the warning given to Dobrokhotov, who fled Moscow in 2021, are being withheld on his request, as is the location of him and his wife, Kate, and their two sons, aged eight and 10.

Six Bulgarian nationals with resident status in the UK - Vanya Gaberova, 30, Katrin Ivanova, 33, Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, Orlin Roussev, 47, Biser Dzhambazov, 43, and Ivan Stoyanov, 34 - were convicted of carrying out espionage operations at home and abroad.

Jan Marsalek, 44, an Austrian national believed to be working as a Russian agent, masterminded the British operation from Moscow despite being wanted for his links to an alleged £1.6bn fraud at disgraced German financial company Wirecard.