The leader of a Russian spy ring boasted of using twin “killer sexy brunettes” while targeting a journalist who had exposed the agents behind the Salisbury poisonings, a court heard.

Orlin Roussev, 46, said that the women would be “above suspicion” during a surveillance operation of Christo Grozev, a journalist for the Bellingcat investigative website. He also planned to recruit two blonde twins.

The women were recruited during a mission where Roussev allegedly sent Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Vanya Gaberova, 30, both from London, to Valencia in September 2021.

They were allegedly accompanied by Bizer Dzhambazov, 43, a medical courier, who was living with Ms Ivanova, a lab assistant, but having an affair with beautician Ms Gaberova.

Ms Gaberova, Ms Ivanova, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of conspiracy to spy on behalf of Russia. 

The spy ring is alleged to have conducted “high-level espionage” including “honeytrapping” their targets from their base in the UK.