SANS found two suspected Russian spies staying in Bulgaria on fake identities

State Agency for National Security (SANS) imposed a ban on entry into the country on two persons identified as illegal intelligence officers of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation.

SANS has obtained information according to which Vladimir Gorochkin and Tatiyana Gorochkina are illegal intelligence officers participating in an operation of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation aimed at carrying out intelligence infiltration using foreign identities.

According to the information obtained, the main purpose of Vladimir Gorochkin's and Tatiyana Gorochkina's presence in the country was to obtain the necessary Bulgarian identity documents and plausible biographical data confirming their authenticity, which they could subsequently use to carry out intelligence activities outside the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria.

By order of the Chairman of the State Agency for National Security (SANS) on 26 February, 2024, the two were imposed a compulsory administrative measure "ban on entry and residence on the territory of the Member States of the European Union" for a period of 5 years on the basis of Art. 1, point 1 in conjunction with Art. 1, point 1 and Art. 44, par. 1 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, as there is evidence that both persons are acting against the security of the country.