Putin ‘Probably’ Approved Litvinenko Killing

British Prime Minister David Cameron has responded to the finding that the Russian state is behind the poisoning of the outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin.

In the report, Owen wrote that, given the results of the inquiry, he is “sure” that Lugovoy and Kovtun placed polonium-210 in Litvinenko’s drink.

The long-awaited report into his death found two Russian men – Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun – deliberately poisoned Mr Litvinenko.

“What happened was absolutely appalling and this report confirms what we’ve always believed, and what the last Labour government believed at the time of this terrible murder, which is it was state sponsored action”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday dismissed the outcome of the British inquiry as biased and opaque, saying London’s handling of the case had clouded bilateral ties.

The Home Secretary presented the United Kingdom government’s response to the findings in a statement to the House of Commons, describing it as a “blatant and unacceptable” breach of global law. Litvinenko died days after being poisoned with radioactive polonium-210, which he is believed to have drunk in a cup of tea. Kovtun had also boasted that he had “a very expensive poison” he planned to administer.

“The FSB operation to kill Mr Litvinenko was probably approved by [FSB leader] Mr Patrushev and also by President Putin”.

Both men deny the charge and Russian Federation has refused requests to have them extradited to the UK. According to his wife, Litvinenko was on his deathbed when he blamed Putin for his condition.

Mr Litvinenko’s widow Marina, who spent years pushing for a public inquiry to be held, urged Britain to impose sanctions against Russian Federation and a travel ban on Mr Putin.

May said that the conclusion that the Russian state is probably involved in the murder of Litvinenko was “deeply disturbing”.

Owen said there was “undoubtedly a personal dimension to the antagonism” between Putin and Litvinenko, citing “repeated highly personal attacks” which the former spy made on the Russian president.

Sir Robert said the two suspects were probably acting under the direction of Moscow’s FSB intelligence service.

Lugovoi insists the inquiry just allows Britain to further its political interests and says “I hope that this polonium trial will debunk the myth of the impartiality of British justice”. Litvinenko was a KGB officer who fled to the U.K.in 2000, after exposing corruption in Moscow’s security services. Diplomats were expelled from Britain and security and intelligence co-operation between the two countries was suspended as the Kremlin was accused of masterminding the killing.

– The report notes that prior to the poisoning, Kovtun had told a witness that Litvinenko was to be poisoned rather than shot because “it is meant to set an example”.