A FORMER British police officer who defected to Russia has moaned that he’s not a menace to nationwide safety and hasn’t finished something unsuitable.
Mark Bullen, 46, grew to become the first Brit to be stripped of his citizenship over his hyperlinks to the Kremlin – after working for greater than a decade within the drive.
A self-described “Russophile” who grew up in North London, Bullen served within the Hertfordshire Constabulary earlier than relocating to Russia in 2014 – the identical yr as when Vladimir Putin invaded and annexed Crimea.
Bullen has now claimed his greater than a decade-long “fascination” with Russia shouldn’t be a stain on his former profession and present life.
The daddy-of-four is adamant he has not dedicated against the law and says the outrage over his defection to the conflict hungry nation is “ridiculous”.
He advised Sky News: “Simply because I’ve this fascination with Russia, I don’t see what hurt it does.
“If I’m responsible of against the law, cost me with against the law.
“If I’ve finished one thing inform me what I’ve finished… put me earlier than a court docket. However I’ve not finished something.”
He added: “I’m a 45-year-old father of 4 who works for a soccer membership. I don’t see how I may threaten anybody, not to mention a rustic.”
Bullen left the UK police drive and now works for prime Russian football group Zenit St Petersburg who’re owned by sanctioned vitality large, Gazprom.
Movies of the ex-copper present him cheering at video games on the Krestovsky Stadium, generally known as the Gazprom Area.
His British citizenship being stripped is the primary of its sort.
His passport was revoked on nationwide safety grounds by Shabana Mahmood, the House Secretary, on the finish of 2025.
Bullen solely learnt of the landmark choice after receiving an e-mail from the House Workplace.
The e-mail cited “public good” grounds – however the authorities has supplied no additional clarification solely pointing to nationwide safety dangers.
Speculating that authorities may have confused him with another person, Bullen bizarrely responded: “I don’t see how I’m in opposition to the general public good.
“I used to be Officer of the Yr twice. I’ve received two commendations. I had an ideal police file.”
The ex-copper does have Russian citizenship which he was granted in 2022.
On the time Bullen advised media in Moscow: “It’s been a lifelong dream.”
Solely two different individuals have had their British citizenship stripped for his or her suspected involvement with Russia – neither have been born within the UK.
Within the October letter, shared by Bullen on-line, Mahmood wrote: “You might be being disadvantaged of your UK nationality on the grounds that to take action is conducive to the general public good.”
Mahmood insisted the proof the choice has been primarily based on “shouldn’t be made public within the pursuits of nationwide safety”.
In response to the Home Office, the facility to deprive a person of British citizenship is wielded extraordinarily hardly ever in opposition to “these concerned in terrorism, hostile state exercise, or severe organised crime“.
When contacted by The Solar, Bullen identified a perceived lack of “due course of” within the case.
“If I’m responsible, put me earlier than a court docket and let a choose and jury determine my destiny,” he stated.
“Particular department have questioned me on two separate events and adopted me round London of their canine walkers’ outfits for days on finish, so both I’m harmless, or they’re incompetent, you determine.”
Whereas working for the police, Bullen invited Russian officers on skilled visits to the UK on a number of events, making common journeys there himself.
In 2010, he took half in a month-long change in St Petersburg, The Sunday Times reported.
Bullen grew up obsessive about Russia, first visiting the nation aged 18 in 1999 and educating himself Russian.
He’s now married to a Russian lady and has 4 kids.
It’s understood Bullen nonetheless makes journeys again to the UK to go to household yearly or so.
