Investigative journalist Christo Grozev has revealed chilling details of a Russian spy ring’s elaborate plans to assassinate him, describing the methods as something "beyond any imagination."
In an interview with the BBC, Grozev, known for his exposés on Russian intelligence operations, said the group fantasized about his death, considering extreme methods such as using a sledgehammer or even hiring a suicide bomber to target him.
The Bulgarian journalist and his colleague Roman Dobrokhotov have spent years uncovering Russian espionage activities, including the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2020 and Sergei Skripal in 2018. He described multiple incidents where they were tracked across Europe, with operatives “breathing down our necks.”
Spy Ring’s Elaborate Assassination Plans
Grozev detailed the various assassination methods the group allegedly discussed, including:
- Hiring an Islamic State suicide bomber to detonate near him on the street.
- Kidnapping him and sending him to a Syrian torture camp, while an imposter in a latex mask resembling him would board a flight to Russia to be dramatically arrested for “full deniability.”
- Bludgeoning him to death with a sledgehammer.
The journalist, who has been living under police protection, said Austrian authorities have since reassured his children that such an attack could not happen again.
Spying ‘Outsourced’ to Non-Professionals
The revelations come after three Bulgarian nationals were found guilty last week of spying for Russia in one of the UK’s largest foreign intelligence cases.
Grozev said Russia’s intelligence failures had led to the outsourcing of espionage tasks to non-professional spies, making them more unpredictable and dangerous. While they lacked the expertise of seasoned operatives, their commitment to the mission remained deadly, he warned.
According to court proceedings, the spy ring—led by Orlin Roussev from a UK guesthouse—had been tracking Grozev and Dobrokhotov for years. They were monitored on planes, in hotels, and even inside their homes.
In 2022, operatives reportedly broke into Grozev’s Vienna apartment while his son was in his room playing a computer game. "I don’t even want to think about what could have happened if my son had stepped out at that moment," he said.
UK Spy Cell Exposed
On Friday, three members of the spy ring were convicted in the UK. Vanya Gaberova, 30, Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39—who worked as a beautician, healthcare worker, and decorator—were found guilty of conspiracy to spy for Russia.
According to investigators, their activities included plotting kidnappings, assassinations, and honeytrap operations to ensnare high-value targets.
Commander Dominic Murphy of the Metropolitan Police described their tactics as “straight out of a spy novel.”
Meanwhile, a leaked message from Jan Marsalek, a handler for Russian intelligence, indicated that President Vladimir Putin personally disliked Grozev, despite one operative deeming him “not a valuable target.”
With the conviction of the spy trio, authorities are now investigating the full extent of Russia’s intelligence network in Europe and whether more operatives remain active.