Journalist Roman Dobrokhotov Reveals Fresh Surveillance Attempts

Kremlin Spy Operation Targets Russian Dissidents in Britain

A second Kremlin spy operation targeting Russian dissidents in Britain has been uncovered. Roman Dobrokhotov, a journalist who was a target of the six Bulgarians convicted of spying for Russia, revealed that he has been informed of fresh attempts to surveil his family.

"I received a warning from the police last spring," said Dobrokhotov, who moved to the UK in January 2023. "These attempts are ongoing."

The details of the warning given to Dobrokhotov, who fled Moscow in 2021, are being withheld on his request, as is the location of him and his family.

Six Bulgarian nationals with resident status in the UK were convicted of carrying out espionage operations at home and abroad. Jan Marsalek, an Austrian national believed to be working as a Russian agent, masterminded the British operation from Moscow.

Two of their targets were the journalists Christo Grozev and Dobrokhotov, who were responsible for unmasking the two Russian military intelligence officers who tried to murder Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury in 2018.

Messages discovered by the police revealed that Dobrokhotov had been followed so closely that his iPhone pin number was picked up by one of the spies sitting next to him on a plane.

There had also been discussions within the group about poisoning Dobrokhotov with ricin on the streets of London or abducting him using a small boat.

The police warning of a new attempt to target Dobrokhotov came months after the arrest of the spy ring in February 2024.

Dobrokhotov is the editor-in-chief of the Insider website, whose investigative work has led to sanctions against companies and individuals facilitating Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

Dobrokhotov said he recognized the need to be constantly on the move to avoid the attentions of the Kremlin. He expressed concern for his family's safety but also acknowledged the importance of knowing about the ongoing threat.

A counter-terrorism policing spokesperson emphasized their commitment to identifying and disrupting foreign state activity in the UK. They encouraged the public to report any allegations of foreign interference and offered support to individuals affected by such threats.