A Bulgarian woman accused of being part of a Russian spy ring operating in the UK has denied knowing that information she collected would be sent to Russia.

Katrin Ivanova, 33, is accused of spying for Russia in a series of carefully planned operations in the UK and Europe.

She allegedly targeted U.S. military bases in Germany and secretly filmed two investigative journalists considered enemies of the Russian state.

Jurors heard journalists were at risk of being kidnapped or assassinated.

Ms Ivanova gave evidence for the first time, denying that she was a spy.

She accepted to track the people targeted by the operations and traveled across Europe, but said she was unaware of the campaign’s true purpose.

She said she believed an operation against investigative journalist Christo Grozev was a form of journalism in itself and would expose his corruption to the public.

“Our plan was to try to expose Mr. Grozev,” she said.

However, she said, no information has been released and “nothing actually happened.”

She said her then partner Biser Dzhambazov – who she told the jury she trusted with her life – asked her to take part in the surveillance operation.

“He has been my partner for over ten years. Why would he do something that would hurt me,” she said.

Ivanova told the court the surgeries were carried out to help Zhabazov’s friend Orlin Roussev, who provided the couple with medical care after they first moved to the UK in 2012. Financial Aid.

She said the couple first met Rousseff at East Croydon station in 2012 and had dinner with him at a “posh” restaurant near the Thames.

“He made a huge impression on me,” she said. “He’s who I always wanted to be. He’s the quintessential heroic immigrant story.”

Dhanbazov and Rousseff have both pleaded guilty to conspiring to spy for Russia.

Ms Ivanova wiped away tears in the witness box as she told how she learned her partner had been linked to another alleged female spy in the trial, 30-year-old Vanya Gaberova. Vanya Gaberova was arrested for sleeping with her.

Jurors heard that in February 2023, Dzhambazov and Ms Gaberova were lying in bed when police arrived to arrest them.

She said Zabazov told her he had a brain tumor and traveled abroad for treatment. She now believes it was a lie so he could live a “parallel life” with Ms Gaberova.

The trial continues.