Former policeman loses citizenship over links to Russia in first-of-its-kind decision
A former police officer has been stripped of his British citizenship over links to the Kremlin in a first-of-its-kind decision.
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Mark Bullen, 45, had his citizenship revoked on national security grounds over his alleged links to Russia while serving as a police officer.
The ex-cop of 11 years has lived in Russia since leaving the force in 2014 but would still make regular trips back to the UK to visit family.
He is the first Brit to lose his passport over ties to Russia.
The evidence underpinning the revocation of Bullen's citizenship has not been made public by the Home Office"in the interests of national security".
The Home Office has the power to strip citizenship from individuals involved in "terrorism, hostile state activity or serious organised crime" but does so very rarely.
Two other people have lost their citizenship over suspected links with Russia but neither were born in the UK.
Read more: Russian sailors can claim asylum if Britain seizes their ships, ministers fear
Speaking to the Sun, an outraged Bullen said: “Where is the due process in this case?
“If I’m guilty, put me before a court and let a judge and jury decide my fate.
He said he had been questioned by special branch on two separate occasions who "followed me around London in their dog walkers’ outfits for days on end.
"Either I’m innocent, or they’re incompetent, you decide.”
Bullen, who grew up in Enfield, North London, spent 11 years working for the Hertfordshire Constabulary as a police officer.
During that time he encouraged Russian policemen to make professional visits to the UK and would regularly take trips to the country himself.
In 2010 he participated in a month-long exchange in St Petersburg.
In 2022 he gained Russian citizenship, which he gushed to Russian site sports.ru had been a "lifelong dream".
He told the publication he grew up obsessed with the country, visiting for the first time aged 18 in 1999 and even teaching himself Russian.
In 2014 Bullen moved to the Russia where he now works for a football team in St Petersburg. He is married to a Russian woman and has four children.
On a trip back to the UK from Russia in November 2024 Bullen was pulled aside and questioned for hours by counterterrorism officers at Luton Airport under Schedule 3 of the Counterterrorism and Border Security Act 2019, which relates to suspected hostile state activity.
Back in 2013 he had also been questioned over his links to Russia by Special Branch officers who allegedly asked: “Why do you go to Russia? Who are your Russian and Ukrainian friends in London?”
The Metropolitan Police, which leads on hostile state cases, told The Times: “On November 12, 2024, a man, aged in his forties, was stopped by counterterrorism officers at Luton airport using powers under Schedule 3 of the Counterterrorism and Border Security Act 2019 after arriving in the UK on a flight from Turkey.
“He was detained and digital devices were seized from him for further examination before he was let on his way. There was no arrest.”