The BBC has uncovered that three individuals suspected of being spies for Russia in the UK have been apprehended and accused as part of a significant national security investigation.
These defendants, all citizens of Bulgaria, were taken into custody in February and have remained in detention since then.
They are being charged with having fake identity documents with an “improper intention” and are accused of knowingly possessing these fraudulent documents.
It is claimed that they were working for the Russian security services.
The false documents include passports, identity cards, and other papers for various countries including the UK, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, and the Czech Republic.
Out of five individuals arrested in February under suspicion of violating the Official Secrets Act, these three were charged later in February specifically with a violation of the Identity Documents Act.
They are currently held in custody and are scheduled to appear in court at the Old Bailey at a later date.
Living in suburban homes, the three suspects have been residing in the UK for several years and have held various jobs.
One of the individuals, Mr. Roussev, has a history of business dealings in Russia and was also involved in signals intelligence, which involves monitoring communications.
The trio, who have been in the UK for around a decade, have been involved in community activities and organizations supporting Bulgarians in the country.
Counter-terrorism detectives from the Metropolitan Police, responsible for espionage, arrested the suspects and expressed concerns about state threats and espionage, particularly involving Russia.
This follows earlier incidents like the 2018 attempted murder of former double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter using a deadly nerve agent, and the 2006 assassination of Russian-intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko in London.
