Russian spy ring 'met with Just Stop Oil' as they plotted fake attack on London embassy

The group planned to stage protests at the Kazakh embassy in London, including dousing it with blood, which would then be used by Russian security services to feed false intelligence to Kazakh authorities.

There is no suggestion that the climate protesters were aware they were meeting with Russian operatives.

In messages revealed to the court, Roussev told his handler he had met with "Oil Protester very good" in October 2021.

"Amazing organisation they even have training courses how to peaceful protest and disruption, tight on the edge of the law without getting more than 1-2 weeks jail time," he wrote.

Roussev described the protesters as "fearless" with a "do not care attitude", noting there were "very intelligent people" including teachers in their ranks.

He claimed JSO were "driven by pure dedication" and that they supported his proposed link between human rights abuses and oil business in Kazakhstan.

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The Bulgarian spy suggested making an "official (not cash) donation" to their cause after being invited to "high-ranking meeting".

The spy ring's plans were directed by Jan Marsalek, the fugitive former boss of Wirecard, who was giving orders on behalf of the Kremlin.

The conspirators discussed various schemes to discredit Kazakhstan, including creating deep-fake gay porn of the president's son and setting up honey traps.

When these initial plans failed to gain traction, Roussev claimed he had secured support from a peer, a baroness and two MPs to raise human rights concerns in Parliament.

The group even considered hiring Sacha Baron Cohen to create an anti-regime Borat video and planned to send letters to EU leaders calling for sanctions against President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Their embassy blood protest plot involved using drones to spray the building on Pall Mall.

Roussev, 46, and Bizer Dzhambazov, 43, have already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to spy with a Russian agent using the alias Rupert Ticz, who prosecutors say is Marsalek.

Three other defendants are currently on trial at the Old Bailey, denying involvement in the conspiracy.

These include Dzhambazov's girlfriend Katrin Ivanova, 33, his lover Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Gaberova's ex-boyfriend Tihomir Ivanchev, 39.

The court heard that Ivanova participated in surveillance of the Kazakh embassy in London.

Dzhambazov and Ivanova had access to human blood samples through their employment at The Doctors Laboratory.

The trial continues with evidence about various plots, including plans to monitor Ukrainian soldiers and target an investigative journalist.