In London, the Old Bailey court has convicted six Bulgarian citizens of spying for Russia. According to the investigation, the group's activities were, among other things, directed against the former governor of the Atyrau region, Bergey Ryskaliyev, and the embassy of Kazakhstan in the UK.
According to media, when handing down the sentence, the judge stated that after serving their sentences, all those convicted are subject to deportation from the UK.
It has become known that one of the episodes in the case concerns the former governor of the Atyrau region, Bergey Ryskaliyev, who has been on the international wanted list since 2013 and has been granted political asylum in the UK. The court established that group members were surveilling him in the interests of Russian intelligence services.
It is noted that this was happening "to strengthen Russia's ties with Kazakhstan, whose authorities might have benefited from the persecution of their opponent".
Also from the case materials, it follows that in September 2022, group members planned to stage a protest outside the Kazakh embassy in London. Afterwards, the prosecution alleges, they intended to pass data to the Kazakh authorities about the "supposed organisers" of the rally.
"In court, the alleged organiser of the group, Orlin Rusev, denied during interrogation that he was engaged in 'James Bond-style activities'. However, the court was presented with evidence that a huge amount of surveillance equipment was found in his former guest house, which has 33 bedrooms", the report states.
Ultimately, the defendants in the case Orlin Rusev, Bizer Dzhambazov, Katrin Ivanova, Vanya Gaberova, Tihomir Ivanchev and another accused person, whose name has not been disclosed, received sentences ranging from 10 years and eight months to 5 years and three weeks.
For context, Bergey Ryskaliyev served as the governor of the Atyrau region from 2006 to 2012. In February 2013, he was placed on the international wanted list on charges of committing crimes under Article 176 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan ("Misappropriation or embezzlement of entrusted foreign property") and creating an organised criminal group.
It was reported that the actions of the criminal group he led caused damage to the state amounting to more than 71 billion tenge, of which 23.4 billion tenge were recovered. In January 2019, a court sentenced Bergey Ryskaliyev in absentia to 17 years in prison.