Declassified documents have revealed that Russian spies involved in a Cold War assassination plot using a poisoned umbrella evaded prosecution following British authorities’ decision to halt the investigation. The incident dates back to 1978 when Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov was fatally attacked with a ricin-containing pellet injected into his leg by an unknown assailant wielding an umbrella on London’s Waterloo Bridge. Markov, a vocal critic of Bulgaria’s Communist regime, succumbed to the poison four days later.
Despite suspicions of state-sponsored foul play, the case initially stalled until 1993 when the prime suspect, Francesco Gullino, also known as Agent Piccadilly, was identified. Former KGB officer Oleg Kalugin later implicated Bulgaria’s ex-leader Todor Zhivkov in orchestrating the murder, with alleged involvement from the Soviet security services. However, UK government files recently obtained by the Daily Mirror suggest a diplomatic intervention by Russian President Boris Yeltsin led to the British authorities shelving the investigation.
The documents detail how officials were advised against pursuing the case further due to political sensitivities, with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office emphasizing the need for a cautious approach while maintaining public interest. Markov, a defector from Bulgaria, had worked for the BBC World Service and had a history of challenging the Communist leadership through satirical broadcasts.
Forensic analysis revealed a tiny platinum and iridium capsule embedded in Markov’s thigh, suspected to have contained ricin, a lethal toxin also used in a separate attack on another Bulgarian dissident in Paris. The investigation eventually linked the murder weapon to Moscow’s Laboratory 12, allegedly overseen by a notorious figure known as “Dr. Death.” Despite renewed efforts by post-Soviet Bulgaria to investigate the case, obstacles including missing security files hindered progress.
The files also shed light on the suspicious death of Markov’s colleague, Vladimir Simeonov, shortly after the assassination. Found dead in his London home under mysterious circumstances, Simeonov’s demise remained unresolved, indicating potential foul play. Markov’s widow, novelist Annabel Dilke, has voiced frustration over the lack of closure in the case, highlighting the ongoing quest for truth and justice surrounding her late husband’s tragic fate.
