A series of explosions and poisonings in Europe - including in Bulgaria targeting arms dealer Emilian Gebrev - organized by GRU Unit 29155, were coordinated by Nikolai Šapošnikov and Elena Šapošnikova, a family of deep-cover spies working as arms dealers, an investigation by The Insider group with the participation of Christo Grozev and the partnership of the Inside Story medium has found. ''The Šapošnikovs moved into Villa Elena in 2010 and set off to run it as a hotel. They only visited Czechia occasionally from then on’’, the Insider wrote. 

Elena Šapošnikova was born in Kyiv during Soviet times. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin awarded her the title "Hero of Russia" for her activities. The Shaposhnikovs bought plane tickets and sheltered Russian bombers in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. The two were interrogated by Bulgarian and Greek investigators, The Insider writes.