Court told Bulgarian nationals surveilled targets including a journalist linked to Russian dissident Alexei Navalny

A “sophisticated” UK-based spy ring passed secrets to Russia for nearly three years and gathered information on targets across Europe, a court has heard.

Three Bulgarian nationals – Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39 – allegedly carried out surveillance on individuals and places of interest to Russia.