Public Inquiry Says Putin ‘Probably’ Approved Poisoning of Former Spy

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite says she is not surprised by the finding of a British survey, which concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin “probably approved” the poisoning of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London.

Judge Robert Owen wrote a 326-page report he made public at London’s Royal Courts of Justice about suspicions that Putin played a role in Litvinenko’s death.

A spokesperson for British Prime Minister David Cameron, however, signaled that the government was unlikely to take strong measures, whle noting that the report “regrettably confirms what we and previous governments already believed to date”, The Guardian reports.

A recent report to the U.K. Parliament says Vladimir Putin likely ordered a former Russian intelligence officer’s death.

Both Lugovoy and Kovtun have previously denied involvement and Russian Federation has refused to extradite them.

In response to the British report, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova refuted the allegations, saying that Britain’s handling of the case was “opaque” and “politicized”.

Mr Litvinenko died aged 43 in London days later.

The British government summoned Moscow’s ambassador, demanding answers from the Kremlin, and the extradition of the two main suspects.

The process of the British inquiry was “not transparent, neither for the Russian side nor for the public”, she added.

A former intelligence officer with the FSB, Litvinenko became an outspoken critic of Putin and worked for British intelligence after he sought asylum in 2000.

“When Mr Lugovoy poisoned Mr Litvinenko, it is probable that he did so under the direction of the FSB (Russia’s Federal Security Service)”.

The judge said there was “no doubt” that Litvinenko was poisoned by Andrei Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun, two Russians he met at a London hotel bar before falling ill in November 2006.

Moscow has rejected past accusations of involvement in Litvinenko’s death and has dismissed the private inquiry as politically motivated.

Before he died, Litvinenko accused Putin of ordering his killing, but this appears to be the first time anyone has officially linked Putin to it.

“This was a blatant and unacceptable breach of the most fundamental tenets of worldwide law and of civilised behaviour”.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin hit back on Thursday, calling Owen’s claims surrounding Litvinenko’s death preposterous.

“We regret that what was a purely criminal case was politicised and has clouded the general atmosphere of our bilateral ties”, she told reporters. Marina, Litvinenko’s widow, welcomed the report’s “damning finding” and pressed United Kingdom to impose sanctions on Russian Federation and travel bans on Putin.