Russian special services have launched a large-scale operation involving a “sexy spy” to destroy the reputation of famous investigative journalist Khristo Grozev. However, the operation failed, and all members of the group were arrested.
What kind of operation was it and who was arrested, says RBC-Ukraine (Styler project) with reference to Metro.
A trial is underway in Britain of a group of spies who were recruited by Russia to carry out operations, including the discrediting of the famous Bellingcat investigative journalist Hristo Grozev.
It was established that Austrian citizen Jan Marsalek communicated with Kremlin spy Orlin Russev and exchanged a series of messages with him, where an operation to destroy the reputation of Hristo Grozev was discussed.
The couple planned to set Grozev up with 30-year-old London beautician Vanya Gaberova. The sexy spy's task was simple – to seduce the journalist and record something for Pornhub.
There was another option that was discussed in the correspondence. Grozev was to be robbed, his property set on fire, kidnapped and taken to Moscow, and also infiltrated Bellingcat and even murdered.
Gaberova specifically traveled to Valencia, Spain, as part of a group to spy on Grozev at a conference that also included Bellingcat founder Elliot Higgins.
Roussev noted that Grozev was very quick to accept Gaberova's Facebook request, and later even told Marsalek that he “seems to be in love with Vanya.” He began actively liking her photos and posts.
On September 28, 2021, a message appeared in the chat: “We can slowly move to romance. Slowly setting up a date.” To which Marsalek replied, asking if she was ready for it: “Let's wait a little bit, let's not underestimate the guy and his paranoia.”
Russev agreed and called Vanya “red hot.” He identified “a great opportunity for a girl to show up and help him relax.”
Marsalek expressed his fears that Vanya might also fall in love with Grozev, and that he had had such problems before. To which Rusev replied that he was simply using the wrong girls.
“You need strong, assertive and independent girls. Vanya is very, very assertive and very independent…a real sexy bitch,” he wrote in the chat.
During the court hearing, Gaberova, in addition to trying to befriend Grozev, was also accused of filming him and other journalists interested in Russia with surveillance cameras during a conference in Valencia. Elliot Higgins also came into the spy's sights.
Roussev, 46, from Norfolk, and Biser Dzambazov, 43, from Harrow, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to spy for Russia.
Bulgarian nationals Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Tikhomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, are on trial in Old Dale for their involvement in a UK-based spy ring.
Prosecutors allege that the group took part in six covert operations against people of interest to the Russian government over a period of almost three years. government.
Bulgarian citizen and prominent investigative journalist Hristo Grozev became the group's first “task”, and he was targeted because of his work exposing Russia's links to the 2018 Salisbury attack and the July 2014 downing of a Malaysia Airlines plane.
The group followed him around Vienna, Valencia and Montenegro. But he was only able to identify Gaberova, whom he knew from Facebook.