Giving her first testimony, Ms. Ivanova denied her espionage activities.
She agreed to follow the people who were the targets of the operations and travel around Europe, but said she did not know the real purpose of the activity.
She said she believes that one operation targeting investigative journalist Hristo Grozev is a form of journalism in itself and will show the public that he is corrupt.
“The plan was to try to expose Mr. Grozev,” she said.
However, no information was ever released and “nothing really happened,” she said.
She said her partner at the time, Biser Jambazav – who she told jurors she trusted with her life – asked her to take part in surveillance operations.
“He was my partner for more than 10 years. Why would he do something that will hurt me,” she said.
The operations were to help Dzambazov’s friend Orlin Rusev, who had helped the couple financially since they first moved to the UK in 2012, Ms Ivanova told the court.
The pair first met Rusev at East Croydon station in 2012 and went to dinner with him at a “fancy” restaurant near the Thames, she said.
“I was very impressed with him,” she said. “He was what I always wanted to be. He was a typical hero of immigrant history.”
Both Zambazav and Rusev have already confessed to conspiracy to commit espionage for the benefit of Russia.
Ms Ivanova wiped away tears on the witness stand as she described how she found out her partner had been arrested in bed with another alleged female spy in this court, 30-year-old Vanya Gaberova.
Jurors heard that Zambazov and Ms Gaberova were in bed together when police arrived to arrest them in February 2023.
According to her, Zambazav told her that he had a brain tumor, and he went abroad for treatment. She now believes it was a lie so he could live a “parallel life” with Ms Gaberova.
The trial continues.
