The BBC revealed that two Bulgarian women were part of a Russian spy network in Europe. Cvetelina Gencheva and Tsvetanka Doncheva spied on people and spread anti-Ukraine propaganda. They targeted journalists, officials, and others, raising serious security concerns.
Bulgarian Women Caught in Espionage Scandal
Gencheva, based in Sofia, Bulgaria, used her airline job to access private flight details. She gave this information to the spy network, helping them track targets during flights. Spies sometimes sat near their targets, watched their phones, and even stole PIN codes.
She spied on Russian journalist during a Berlin trip. She also collected flight details on investigative journalist and Russian dissident.
Doncheva, based in Vienna, Austria, focused on direct spying. She set up a camera near Grozev’s home to watch him and also spread anti-Ukraine propaganda, putting stickers around Vienna, including at the Soviet war memorial, to label Ukraine supporters as extremists.
She also spied on Austrian journalists and officials, including Anna Thalhammer, an editor at the Austrian magazine Profil.
Social Media Clues and Arrests
The BBC identified Gencheva by tracking her social media activity. Her LinkedIn profile showed she knew Amadeus, a common airline software. The same software was found on Orlin Roussev’s hard drive, the leader of the Russian spy cell in the UK. Her links to convicted spies made her role clear.
When the BBC contacted Gencheva, she refused to comment. She later claimed she wasn’t fluent in English, though her LinkedIn profile showed professional fluency and a degree in English. After the investigation, she quickly changed her social media, removing some details.
Doncheva was arrested by Austrian police in December but was later released. During questioning, she gave conflicting stories. First, she said she thought it was a student project. Later, she claimed it was an Interpol operation. Austrian authorities dismissed her claims, confirming she was part of the spy network.
Connections to Russian Intelligence
Austrian court documents showed that Doncheva had direct ties to Jan Marsalek, a Russian spy in Moscow. Marsalek also worked with the leader of the UK spy cell. The documents revealed that Marsalek planned surveillance on journalists.
The UK police described the spy network as highly sophisticated and dangerous.
A UK court recently convicted six Bulgarians linked to the spy network. Three admitted working for Russia, while the others denied it but were still found guilty. They targeted journalists and Ukrainian soldiers training at a US base in Germany.
Despite strong evidence from the BBC, none of them has been convicted. Austrian prosecutors asked for Doncheva’s pre-trial detention, but the court denied it, saying she was unlikely to flee. Her role as her mother’s caretaker was also a reason for her release.
After the BBC investigation, Gencheva still claims to be a travel industry professional but changed her social media after reporters questioned her. BBC reporters approached Doncheva in Vienna, but she denied her identity. However, they later saw her at her home address.
The BBC investigation raised serious concerns about Russian spies in Europe. With both women still free, it shows the ongoing risk of foreign spies and the challenges of catching them.
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