BBC: Spies Targeted Former Atyrau Region Akim in London

The Central Criminal Court in London is considering a case against several Bulgarian citizens suspected of spying for Russia, as well as preparing assassination attempts on several journalists and politicians, Orda.kz reports, citing the BBC.

Bulgarian citizen Orlin Rusev, who admitted in court that he worked for Russian intelligence, may have planned an assassination attempt on the former Atyrau region Akim, Bergey Ryskaliyev, who is currently in the UK.

This was one of six "operations" members of the group he created allegedly conducted.

Two suspects, Orlin Rusev and Biser Dzhambazov, confessed to espionage.

Meanwhile, their alleged accomplices, Katrin Ivanova, Vanya Gaberova, and Tikhomir Ivanchev, deny the charges. 

The group members were found to have a significant amount of equipment, including 221 mobile phones, 495 SIM cards, 33 audio recording devices, 55 video recording devices, 11 drones, 258 hard drives, and 75 fake passports and other identification documents.

British prosecutors will focus their trial on six "key operations" in which the defendants allegedly have been involved; two are linked to Kazakhstan.

The British court has said in November 2021, Rusev's group planned an assassination attempt on Bergey Ryskaliyev, who fled to the UK and asked for political asylum after becoming a defendant in a criminal case concerning embezzlement of more than 71 billion tenge and the creation of an organized crime group.

Ryskaliyev is currently on the international wanted list.

According to the court, the agents monitored Ryskaliyev and made him a target to strengthen relations between Russia and Kazakhstan.

Rusev and his accomplices reportedly planned “disruptive activities” at the Kazakh embassy in London. 

The British Prosecutor’s Office claims the group planned to stage a demonstration before the diplomatic institution. Russian intelligence allegedly needed this “fake protest” to pass on false information about its organizers to Kazakhstan's law enforcement. 

This was supposed to create the impression that Russian intelligence was sincerely helping Kazakhstan.

Prosecutors allege that Rusev also targeted Hristo Grozev, a well-known investigative journalist from the Bellingcat group. He received instructions from Jan Marsalek, who served as an intermediary between him and Russian intelligence. 

The group members allegedly planned to steal Grozev’s laptop and phone containing valuable information and also discussed kidnapping or even killing the journalist.

Other "operations" the spies planned to carry out included surveillance of Russian journalist Roman Dobrokhotov, fugitive Russian Investigative Committee officer Kirill Kachur, and the American military base in Stuttgart.

Whether Kazakhstan's law enforcement agencies have contacted their UK counterparts regarding this trial and the alleged activities of Russian spies directed against Kazakhstan is unknown.

Kazakhstan's authorities have previously admitted that they would not be able to have Bergey Ryskaliyev returned to his homeland.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny