Litvinenko report a ‘gross provocation’ – Russian Federation

President Vladimir Putin “probably approved” a Russian intelligence operation to murder ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko with radioactive polonium-210, a British inquiry into the 2006 killing has concluded.

But when he took into account all the evidence available to him, including a “considerable quantity” of secret intelligence that was not aired in open court, he found “that the FSB operation to kill Litvinenko was probably approved by [Nikolai] Patrushev [head of the security service in 2006] and also by President Putin”. Check back soon for further information.

Sir Robert Owen, a retired High Court judge, released a scathing report into the death of Litvinenko that concluded his murder was “probably” ordered by Putin himself.

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.

In 2000, Litvinenko left for Great Britain and was given asylum after parting ways with Putin and his inner circle.

– Interpol has issued notices calling for their arrest, although Russian Federation refuses to extradite them.

Christopher Meyer, the former British ambassador to the USA, told Sky News: “The consequences of this has created the worst crisis in British-Russian relations since 1971”.

And in his closing statement, the Litvinenko family’s lawyer, Ben Emmerson said that “no amount of synthetic defiance” from Putin could hide the truth revealed through the inquiry.

President Vladimir Putin probably approved a plan by Russia’s FSB security service to kill former agent Alexander Litvinenko, a British judge said Thursday.

Marina Litvinenko has said her husband grew disillusioned with the FSB in the 1990s, during Russia’s war against Chechan separatists.

“Yes, we do, but we do it with clear eyes and a very cold heart”, he said.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, accused Britain of politicising the matter.

His widow, Marina Litvinenko, said she was pleased with the outcome of the report.

Using polonium-210 was “at minimum a powerful indication of state participation” as it had to be produced in a nuclear reactor, the report said.

Announcing his findings at London’s Royal Courts of Justice, Owen said that “there can be no doubt that Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned by Mr. Lugovoi and Mr. Kovtun” in the Pine Bar of London’s luxury Millennium Hotel on November 1, 2006.

Mr Lidington told Mr Yakovenko “the Russian State’s probable involvement in this murder was deeply disturbing, demonstrating a flagrant disregard for United Kingdom law, global law and standards of conduct, and the safety of United Kingdom citizens”, a spokeswoman for the foreign office said.

After 34 days of evidence to a public inquiry over seven months, a 328-page report found it was likely his death was a state-sponsored assassination with the trail leading all the way to the top. Some suspect his outspoken stance against the Kremlin was the motivation.