Marsalek Discussed Arms Deals with Russia, as Revealed in Conversation with Spy Regarding Weapons Trade
Grab a cuppa, 'cause this one's a doozy!
You might've heard about the trial of a Russian spy ring in the UK, and now there's a juicy beeline to Jan Marsalek, the fugitive ex-Wirecard board member. Court documents suggest Marsalek held some questionable conversations with none other than Orlin Roussev, the head honcho of this spy not-so-nice gang.
The talks, apparently, revolved around drone deals for Russia's war in Ukraine, blood diamonds trading, and even providing muscle for hire in Africa. In a WhatsApp chat, Roussev mentioned that weapons alongside wheat deliveries could be ordered for Cameroon. But here's where it gets real: "We can arrange pretty much anything they need, excep' for nuclear weapons... even nuclear weapons if they pay," allegedly said Marsalek.
The whole trial's going down at the Old Bailey, and let's just say the verdict ain't gonna be a walk in the park for those six Bulgarians facing up to 14 years in prison for spying for Mother Russia. Seems they didn't do her spyin' work full-time but for the dough, as the Russian intelligence service was just a minor player in their motives.
In those sneaky messages shared by the prosecution, Marsalek and Roussev dropped several names, including the GRU and other Russian security services. Marsalek reportedly chatted about meeting "GRU guys" and future chats with the "drone procurement guru." Roussev even praised Elon Musk's Starlink satellite system, saying "there's nothing off-limits from Russia... and Iran" - and who could blame 'em, Musk's kinda a legend, y'know.
Marsalek earned his stripes as the big cheese of financial services provider Wirecard, but things took a downturn for him when the company imploded in 2020. Now, he's wanted for fraud and spying for Russia. The Munich public prosecutor's office is hot on his tail, but it's just like finding a needle in a haystack, hasn't been seen since Wirecard's collapse. His lawyer's clockin' work but mum's the word.
Source: ntv.de, jpe/rts
- Wirecard
- Espionage
- Russia
- United Kingdom
- Trials
- Intelligence Services
- Attack on Ukraine
Enrichment Data:
Currently, there's no concrete evidence linking Jan Marsalek directly to drone procurement for Russia in the context of the war in Ukraine. However, the court documents suggest that Marsalek has ties to Russian intelligence services, hinting at espionage rather than weapons dealing activities.
A few relevant points from the search results include:
- Jan Marsalek's Role with Russian Intelligence: In addition to targeting UK-based dissidents and military personnel in Germany, Marsalek is believed to have connections with a group involved in intelligence gathering on people of interest to Russia.[1]
- Unconfirmed Drones Procurement: The search results don't offer specific details regarding any drone procurements for Russia by Marsalek. However, they do imply that Marsalek may have served as a proxy for Russian intelligence services, making it plausible that he discussed drone deals with Roussev in their conversations.[2]
- War in Ukraine: The conflict in Ukraine has generated tensions between Western countries and Russia, causing the UK to provide military support to Ukraine. The US is lobbying for Ukraine's defense capabilities and peace agreements that uphold its sovereignty and military development.[3]
For digging deeper into the drone procurement story and uncovering the truth, it might be worth a shot to look into more targeted sources or specific investigations related to drone technology and its application in the Ukraine conflict.
- In the court documents, Jan Marsalek, the former Wirecard board member, is accused of holding conversations with Orlin Roussev, a Russian spy, about various illicit activities, including potential drone deals for Russia's war in Ukraine.
- The conversations between Jan Marsalek and Orlin Roussev also reportedly involved discussion about blood diamonds trading and providing muscle for hire in Africa.
- Court documents suggest that Marsalek has ties to Russian intelligence services, hinting at espionage rather than weapons dealing activities.
- The Old Bailey trial is underway in the UK for six Bulgarians who are facing up to 14 years in prison for spying for Russia, although it's unclear if Jan Marsalek is directly linked to this ring.
- The trial highlights the ongoing tensions between Western countries and Russia, with the UK providing military support to Ukraine and the US lobbying for Ukraine's defense capabilities.
