The last time the Russian spy Irina Alexandrovna-Smirevaknown in our country as “Maria Tsalla”, was in Greece on January 4, 2023, based on her mobile phone.

However, according to information cited by skai.gr, a few days later she is said to be in contact with both her landlord and the employee at the store she ran, who she asked to send her her cat, which she did not it finally became possible as a special certificate was required.

It is also characteristic that “Maria Tsalla” tried to hide her tracks from the Greek tax authorities, since she did not declare her residence at Arrianou Street in Pagrati as the seat of her sole proprietorship, but at 16 Tzaferi Street in Gas pedal.

It should be noted that the street also known as “T16” is advertised as follows: “Choose T16 as the tax headquarters of your company and enjoy important privileges”.

What the lawyer who allegedly helped her says

According to information, “Maria Tsalla” had help from Aliveriou’s lawyer Nikos Lymberopoulos, who, however, in a recent interview said that he does not remember the case.

Speaking to SKAI, Nikos Lymberopoulos said: “I did not remember anything about this case, the woman was not my client. He had papers, he just wanted to change his place of residence at the registry office in Aliveri and be registered in the census.

“The registrar asked for evidence that the woman is a resident of the municipality of Kymi – Aliveri, for example a house lease or some bill proving the place of residence”.

However, Aliveriou’s lawyer did not provide answers to how exactly he met “Maria Tsalla”, how he helped her get papers or if he ever hosted her in his home.

“I’m trying to remember, maybe some lawyer from Athens called me to serve his client, as is usually done here in the province… I don’t remember hosting her or declaring her as my guest,” said the lawyer, who noted that, so far , neither has anyone contacted him about the case, nor has he been called by the competent authorities.

Recruitment and training

“Maria Tsalla” was recruited and trained by the secret services of Russia and belongs to the “Illegals”, the special category of spies who are placed in foreign countries with a specific secret mission. The “setup” of her character cost 5 million euros.

He left Russia in 2017 for Mexico. In 2018, he left Mexico and came to Greece, using a passport from that country.

In Greece and to those who knew her, she was introduced as “Maria Tsalla”, a child of immigrants from Moscow who had come to our country in 2018 and a year later created a handicraft and knitting shop in Athens, specifically on Arrianou Street in Pagrati.

She was still taking part in photography contests which she presented as a hobby, while she had entered into a relationship with a Greek tutor owner whom she was about to marry and who, like her shop assistant, had no idea about her true identity and literally fell off the rails. clouds.

How it was revealed

At the beginning of 2023, confidential information from the British secret services reached the EYP about the espionage activity of a woman named “Maria Tsalla”. At the same time, another female agent was arrested in Slovenia, with whom Smireva allegedly had contacts.

So the Russians decide to withdraw her, with her leaving suddenly, declaring to her relatives that she is going on a leisure trip, with the last trace of her mobile phone in Greece being found on January 4.

The laptop and communication for her cat

She then informed the girl who worked at the shop and her landlord that she would not be returning, while she contacted them to send her cat, which was unsuccessful as she needed special permission.

Since then, “Maria Tsalla” disappears. At her home he left her personal belongings and a laptop, through which she is being investigated if she communicated with her contacts in Russia.

The spy was acting independently in Greece, without having any contact with the Russian embassy in Athens, and now the investigation by the Greek authorities is focused on establishing what her mission was in our country.

The photographer profile she had built had given her the freedom to photograph whatever she wanted without arousing suspicion.

In fact, the fact that she had acquired Greek citizenship also gave her the right of free movement in the European Union, so it is possible that her activity has extended to other countries, something that the Greek secret services are now examining.

The focus is on her travels

The authorities have also targeted the spy’s travels both in Greece and abroad.

As “Maria Challa” she seems to have made one trip to France and three within our country.

According to Alpha, the target is the visit he made to critical areas and especially to the port of Alexandroupolis, where American forces bound for Ukraine disembark and is something that particularly concerns Russia.

The EYP has gathered information about the circle of contacts and acquaintances of the Russian spy, but so far it has not emerged that she tried to infiltrate civilian and military areas in order to extract information.