Russian Federation attacks findings of Alexander Litvinenko inquiry

Mr Litvinenko, 43, a prominent Kremlin critic, died three weeks after drinking tea laced with radioactive polonium-210 – an extremely expensive radioactive isotope available only in closed nuclear facilities – at an upmarket London hotel in 2006.

Moscow has always strongly denied involvement in Litvinenko’s death, and Russian Federation refuses to identify the two main suspects, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun.

Sir Robert said he was “sure” Mr Litvinenko’s murder had been carried out by Lugovoi and Kovtun, who are both wanted by United Kingdom authorities but who Russian Federation has refused to extradite.

Litvinenko was a former Russian security agent who came to Britain in 2000 after turning whistleblower on the FSB, the successor agency to the KGB.

Speaking in Davos, British Prime Minister David Cameron said “what happened was absolutely appalling” and Britain would be “toughening” up its reactions against Russia after the inquiry indicated Russian involvement in the death of Litvinenko.

“The process, despite its name, wasn’t transparent for the Russian side or the public, given the specifics of non-public examination of evidence under the pretext of “secrecy”, said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Moscow’s foreign ministry.

“I think that – yet again – Great Britain has shown that anything that involves their political interests, they’ll make a top priority”, he said.

The image of Litvinenko lying on his bed at London’s University College Hospital, gaunt and having lost his hair, was emblazoned across British and other Western newspapers and later shown to the inquiry.

“— The FSB operation to kill Mr. Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr. (Nikolai) Patrushev (then-FSB chief) and also by President Putin”.

The death of Mr Litvinenko marked a post-Cold War low point in Anglo-Russian relations, and ties have never recovered, marred further by Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

He said “such terminology is not allowed in Russian judicial practice; nor is it allowed in court practices of other countries, and it certainly can’t be perceived by us as a verdict in any part [of the investigation’s results]”. In the years that followed, Mr. Litvinenko made repeated highly personal attacks on President Putin, culminating in the allegation of pedophilia in July 2006. He says there’s a “strong probability” that Russia’ FSB spy agency directed the killing and the operation was “probably approved” by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Alexander Litvinenko died in London in 2006 after being poisoned with radioactive polonium-210.

The FSB also had information Mr Litvinenko had started working for British intelligence.

The publication of the long-awaited report drew a blistering response from Russian ambassador Alexander Yakovenko.

Owen said there were “powerful motives” for the killing. Thursday’s report is the first public official statement linking Putin to the crime.

The findings related to Putin’s guilt – even if it is viewed as probable rather than definitively proved – will offer some comfort to Litvinenko’s widow, Marina.