Bulgaria's Minister of Interior says that Russian intelligence services are aiding illegal migration

Daniel Mitov said that the Bulgarian government had evidence that the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service had direct links with the criminal gangs facilitating illegal immigration into the European Union, reported BNR’s correspondent in London Veselin Paunov.

Daniel Mitov said that Russian spies are helping people smugglers find weaknesses in the EU’s external borders, including Bulgaria’s border with Turkiye, and advise migrants on how to exploit the EU and UK asylum systems to avoid deportation. Additionally, some non-governmental organizations were collaborating with smugglers “under ideological pretexts”, according to Daniel Mitov.