A Bulgarian accused of spying for Russia in Britain discussed in text messages the possibility of kidnapping or murdering investigative journalist Christo Grozev, British prosecutors said during the trial of members of an alleged spy ring.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan said a group of Bulgarians, accused of spying for Russia, followed Grozev, with one member, Orlin Rusev, exchanging messages with the alleged head of the network, Austrian citizen Jan Marsalek, in which they discussed kidnapping or killing Grozev.
Grozev has worked for the investigative outlet Bellingcat. He led an investigation by the media network on the 2018 poisoning of the Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England.
Rusev and another Bulgarian national, Biser Dzhambazov, have pleaded guilty to espionage charges, while three others -- Katrin Ivanova, Vanya Gaberova, and Tihomir Ivanchev -- are currently on trial at London's Central Criminal Court for being part of the spy ring.
The three defendants have denied the charge of conspiracy to spy between August 2020 and February 2023.
Prosecutors told the court Rusev lead the Bulgarians and directed them after receiving instructions from Marsalek.
Marsalek -- who is said to have connections to Russian intelligence dating back to at least 2014 -- is now believed to be in Russia.
