‘No James Bond activity on my end,’ ringleader of Russian spy ring told police

A Bulgarian spymaster who denied being part of a UK-based Russian espionage network despite being caught with a treasure trove of gadgets told police: “No James Bond activity on my end.”

Orlin Roussev, 47, led what is believed to be one of the “largest and most complex” enemy operations ever to be uncovered on UK soil.

Spyware was recovered from a former guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, described by Roussev in messages as his “Indiana Jones garage”.

Items found included audiovisual spy devices hidden inside a rock, men’s ties, a Coca-Cola bottle and a Minions cuddly toy.

He was jailed for 10 years and eight months at the Old Bailey on Monday.

In a police interview in February 2023, Roussev denied having any links to Russia.

“Well, I’m denying, and I will be thrilled to see how, how on God’s Earth there is a connection between me and Russia or any other state because I haven’t been a spy or a government agency employed for a state,” he told officers.

“No James Bond activity on my end, I guarantee you,” he added.

In an interview the following day, Roussev was asked what he was doing in the Great Yarmouth guesthouse before police raided the property.

He said: “Basically what happens is that work is not like, you know, you can’t tell Leonardo da Vinci, you know, you start painting from nine to five.

“That job is not nine to five. It’s an inspiration how you feel.

“So I also don’t work like, like the robot.”

“I was about to have my like, uh, six o’clock, uh, tea with something, and then all hell broke loose,” he said of the moment police burst in.

Overwhelmed by force and backed into a corner, spymaster Roussev gave the impression of being scared and startled when officers swarmed into the property.

He had admitted his role along with his second-in-command, Biser Dzhambazov, 44, who was jailed for 10 years and two months and Ivan Stoyanov, 33, who was handed a prison term of five years and three weeks.

Female “honeytrap” agents Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Vanya Gaberova, 30, and competitive swimmer Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, were found guilty at the Old Bailey in March of activities which police have said put lives and national security at risk.

Mr Justice Hilliard sentenced Ivanova, of Harrow, north-west London, to nine years and eight months, Gaberova, of Euston, north London, to six years, eight months and three weeks, and Ivanchev, of Acton, west London, to eight years.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “The strength of the investigation into the group’s surveillance operations left the ringleaders – Orlin Roussev and Bizer Dzhambazov – with no option but to plead guilty to the charges they faced.

“As shown in footage from his initial interviews, Roussev firmly denied carrying out any espionage activity for Russia. However, before he was due to stand trial, he admitted that he had been part of the conspiracy to spy.

“This was in large part due to the detailed analysis of more than 200,000 digital messages and hundreds of items seized from Roussev’s home address.”