A Bulgarian woman accused of being part of a Russian spy cell operating in the UK has denied knowing that information she collected would be sent to Russia.
Ekaterina Ivanova, 33, is accused of spying for Russia in a series of complex operations in the UK and Europe.
She allegedly targeted a US military base in Germany and secretly photographed two investigative journalists considered enemies of the Russian state.
The jurors knew that there was a risk that the journalists would be kidnapped or assassinated.
Giving evidence for the first time, Ms Ivanova denied being a spy.
She agreed to follow the people targeted by the operations and travel throughout Europe, but said she did not know the true purpose of this activity.
She said she believed that one of the operations targeting investigative journalist Christo Grozev was itself a form of journalism and would reveal to the public that he was corrupt.
She added: “The plan was to try to expose Mr. Grozev.”
However, no information was ever released and “nothing really happened,” she added.
She said her then-partner, Besir Dzambazov, whom she told the jury she trusted with her life, asked her to take part in the surveillance.
“He's been my partner for over 10 years. Why would he do something that would hurt me,” she said.
Ivanova told the court that the operations were to assist Dzambazov's friend Aurelien Rousseff, who helped the couple financially after they first moved to the UK in 2012.
She said that the couple met Rousseff for the first time at East Croydon station in 2012, and went with him to dinner at a “luxurious” restaurant near the River Thames.
“I was very touched by him,” she said. “He was someone I always wanted to be. He was a typical hero in the immigrant story.”
Both Dzhambazov and Roussev have already admitted to conspiring to spy for Russia.
Ms Ivanova wiped away tears on the witness stand as she described how her bed partner was caught with the other alleged spy in this trial, Vanya Gabirova, 30.
Jurors heard that Dzambazov and Ms Jabirova were in bed together when police arrived to arrest them in February 2023.
She said that Dzambazov told her that he had a brain tumor and had traveled abroad to receive treatment. She now believes it was a lie so he could live a “parallel life” with Ms Jabrova.
The trial continues.
