The leader of a British-based Russian spy ring which prosecutors said carried out surveillance for the Kremlin was sentenced in a London court on Monday to nearly 11 years in jail, as his five team members were jailed for a total of about 40 years.

The group, which referred to themselves as the "minions", ran an international spy ring from a Norfolk guesthouse.

The spies conducted surveillance for the Russians, targeting journalists, diplomats and dissidents in Britain, Austria, Spain and Montenegro, prosecutors said.