In a seemingly ordinary guesthouse on Britain’s east coast, an intricate spy network was quietly carrying out covert missions. The Haydee Guesthouse, with its faded carpets and Victorian charm, seemed like an ordinary place for travelers. But behind its doors, a secret team led by Orlin Roussev was running dangerous missions for Russia.
For years, this group of undercover agents, including Gabriela Gaberova, Katrin Ivanova, and Tihomir Ivanchev, carried out spying missions, tracking important people, and planning risky operations across Europe.
They used fake identities, advanced spy gadgets, and secret messages to complete their tasks. The British police worked for a long time to uncover their activities. Finally, their secret world was exposed, leading to arrests and trials.
Missions of Deception and Danger
The spy group used different tricks to gather information and cause disruption. One of their most shocking tactics was the use of “honeytraps.” This means they tried to trick people by pretending to be friendly or romantic in order to get secrets from them. Gaberova was specifically tapped for this role.
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Their targets included journalists and former government officials. One journalist, Christo Grozev, famous for exposing Russian crimes, was followed across different countries. The spies even planned to kidnap or harm him. Another target, Roman Dobrokhotov, was watched closely and was almost captured before the group lost track of him.
In one strange plot, they planned to throw fake pig’s blood on the Kazakh Embassy in London. They wanted to create a fake opposition group and make it seem real to trick people. This was part of a bigger effort to spread misinformation and confuse the public.
The group also spied on a U.S. military base in Germany, where Ukrainian forces were present. They watched former politicians, including Bergey Ryskaliyev, and tracked their movements, trying to gather as much information as possible. All of these activities were linked to Russia’s intelligence services.
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Arrests, Spy Gadgets, and Secret Messages
British authorities finally caught up with the spy network in 2023. When police raided their homes, they found hidden cameras disguised as everyday objects like pens and ties. They also discovered over 200,000 secret messages exchanged between the spies. These messages revealed detailed plans about their missions.
Orlin Roussev, the leader of the group, worked closely with Biser Dzhambazov, who called himself “Mad Max.” Their messages showed that they took orders from an alleged Russian agent, Jan Marsalek, who was living in Russia. Marsalek was linked to plans of kidnapping and even assassinations.
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The police arrested five people involved in the spy ring. Three of them—Gaberova, Ivanchev, and Ivanova—went on trial and were found guilty of spying. They claimed they didn’t know who they were working for, but the evidence proved otherwise. They are now in custody and will be sentenced in May.
This case is one of the biggest spy investigations in the U.K. in the last 15 years. The British authorities said that the group’s activities put national security at risk. The spies’ work was part of a larger effort by Russia to create confusion and gain power in different countries.
Even though this spy ring has been shut down, it shows how far some countries will go to gather information and cause trouble in other nations. The case has reminded everyone how important it is to stay alert against hidden threats in today’s world.
