Clockwise from top left: Orlin Roussev, Katrin Ivanova, Ivan Stoyanov, Biser Dzhambazov, Vanya Gaberova and Tihomir Ivanchev. Photo: London Metropolitan Police / BBC News

A court in London has sentenced six Bulgarians to prison sentences ranging from five to nearly 11 years for spying for Russia, BBC News reported on Monday.

The Bulgarians were all found guilty of espionage, part of which involved tracking Roman Dobrokhotov, founder and current editor-in-chief of Russian independent media outlet The Insider, and Christo Grozev, The Insider’s head of investigations.

Correspondence between the defendants showed that they had discussed kidnapping and even killing the two journalists, though the plans never came to fruition.

The longest sentence — 10 years and eight months — was handed down to Orlin Roussev, whom the court considered the ringleader within the spy cell. Bizer Dzhambazov, his deputy, was sentenced to 10 years and two months, Katrin Ivanova to nine years and eight months, Vanya Gaberova to six years, eight months and three weeks, Tihomir Ivanchev to eight years and Ivan Stoyanov to five years and three weeks.

The group also conducted other operations for the Russian secret services in the UK, Germany, Austria, Spain and Montenegro between 2020 and 2023, prosecutors had told the court.

It also emerged during the trial that Roussev had received instructions from the former operating director of German company Wirecard, Jan Marsalek, who orchestrated the largest fraud in German history, fled to Russia in 2020 and is now on the international wanted list.

In a sentencing on Monday, Judge Nicholas Hilliard said all defendants were “motivated by money”, adding that using the UK as a base to plan spy operations was a “very serious offence” which “undermines this country’s standing with allies”.