![]() ![]() The dismantling of the spy ring is also most likely a consequence of the pressure from the US, which is seeking to limit the possibilities of Russia running intelligence operations in Bulgaria. They were accused of collecting intelligence, through contacts, on the modernisation of the Bulgarian Armed Forces and the situation in the arms industry. It is likely that the arrests made on 18 March are directly linked to the case of two Russians from the Trade Department of the Russian Embassy who were recognised as spies in September 2020. The operation of Bulgaria’s counterintelligence can be seen as part of actions which have been pursued since autumn 2019 and which by December 2020 had resulted in the expulsion of six Russian diplomats (among them a military attaché) on charges of espionage.The Russian Embassy in Sofia treated this spy scandal as yet another attempt to ‘demonise Russia’ and to damage relations between the two countries. Representatives of the US State Department, NATO and the UK foreign minister have pledged their support for the measures undertaken by Bulgaria. ![]() On 22 March the Bulgarian government announced that the First and Second Secretaries at the Russian Embassy had been expelled from the country in relation to the espionage case. The Bulgarian prime minister, Boyko Borisov, commended the operations of Bulgaria’s counterintelligence and called upon Russia to stop espionage in Bulgaria. It is said that the group has been under surveillance since September 2020. According to statements from the Prosecutor’s Office, the members of the network received US$ 2,000-3,000 for passing the information. The arrested members of the group are said to have been delivering information about issues such as: the US-Bulgarian Maritime Coordination Centre (established in Varna in July 2020) the modernisation of the Bulgarian Armed Forces activity of NATO in various parts of the world the EU’s and NATO’s policy on Russia, Belarus and Ukraine the activity of the US and CIA in Bulgaria and the actions taken by the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA). Among the other members of the network there were two former and two active servicemen, including the current deputy budget planning and management director in the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence and an officer who participated in expeditionary missions and held the position of military attaché several times. His wife, who holds dual citizenship (Bulgarian and Russian), served as a liaison with Russian Embassy personnel. After 1989 he held managerial positions in Bulgaria’s military intelligence and, having retired, ran courses for military intelligence personnel. The group was led by Ivan Iliev, a longtime employee of the military intelligence, who underwent training organised by Russia’s GRU under communism. The sixth person, who confessed to the charges he was accused of, was released on bail. ![]() The Bulgarian law enforcement bodies decided to place five of the arrested people in pre-trial detention. ![]() According to the Prosecutor’s Office, five out of the six arrested are former or active servicemen, including officers of the military intelligence (Military Information Service) accountable to the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence. On 18 March Bulgaria’s counterintelligence arrested a group of six Bulgarians suspected of spying for Russia. ![]()
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