An unprecedented Home Office citizenship deprivation has targeted a former Hertfordshire Constabulary officer now employed by a Gazprom-owned Russian football club, marking the first instance of a British-born individual losing nationality over alleged hostile state activity ties.
Mark Bullen, 45, received the October 2025 order from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood just one month into her tenure, with authorities declaring revocation served “the public good” whilst keeping supporting evidence classified citing national security imperatives.
The St Petersburg resident—currently working for Zenit St Petersburg FC owned by sanctioned Russian energy giant Gazprom—has condemned what he characterises as secretive proceedings denying him access to accusations underpinning the extraordinary measure typically reserved for terrorism or serious organised crime suspects.
Bullen’s journey from British policing to Russian residency began following his 2014 departure from Hertfordshire force after over a decade’s service, though Special Branch had questioned his frequent Russian travel as early as 2013 following participation in an International Police Association exchange programme involving one-month Russian deployment.
November 2024 saw counterterrorism officers detaining Bullen for four hours at Luton airport following his Turkey flight arrival to visit UK friends, with Schedule 3 Counterterrorism and Border Security Act 2019 powers—covering suspected hostile state activity—employed whilst officers confiscated electronic devices and questioned him about 2018 Salisbury poisonings knowledge before releasing him without arrest.
Bullen has scathingly compared British officers to “the Stasi” on X, telling Russian sports website sports.ru: “It’s like East Germany. An undemocratic country. No lawyer, no phone, no water. An ice-cold room,” adding that as a serving officer he would have deemed such treatment illegal.
The former policeman obtained Russian citizenship in 2022—describing it as fulfilling a “lifelong dream”—and stated if forced choosing between British and Russian passports he would select the Russian option “without a second thought.”
Bullen publicly challenged the appeals process opacity after contacting the British embassy verifying the deprivation notice’s authenticity: “They said, ‘You can appeal the decision, but the trial will be closed and secret. We won’t show you the evidence. You won’t know what exactly you’re accused of.'”
He indicated contesting the ruling if granted legal aid, having already shared the government’s letter on social media whilst denying wrongdoing.
Metropolitan Police confirmed a man in his forties was stopped at Luton airport on 12 November 2024 using counterterrorism powers with devices seized for examination.
A Home Office spokesman defended citizenship deprivation as “a vital tool used to protect the UK from some of the most dangerous people,” emphasising such decisions are never made lightly.
