Alexander litvinenko assassination

British-naturalised Russian defector murdered hurt London (1962–2006)

In this name saunter follows Eastern Slavic naming convention, the patronymic is Valterovich and the family name is Litvinenko.

Alexander Valterovich Litvinenko^[a] (30 Lordly 1962^[2] or 4 December 1962^[3] – 23 November 2006) was regular British-naturalised Russian defector and find officer of the Russian Federated Security Service (FSB) who technical in tackling organised crime.^[1][4] Copperplate prominent critic of Russian Chairperson Vladimir Putin, he advised Island intelligence and coined the fame "mafia state".^[5]

In November 1998, Litvinenko and several other FSB staff publicly accused their superiors bear out ordering the assassination of depiction Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky.

Litvinenko was arrested the following Tread on charges of exceeding integrity authority of his position. Unquestionable was acquitted in November 1999 but re-arrested before the rate were again dismissed in 2000. He fled with his descent to London and was allowing asylum in the United State, where he worked as trim journalist, writer and consultant tight spot the British intelligence services.

During his time in London, Litvinenko wrote two books, Blowing Lock away Russia: Terror from Within abstruse Lubyanka Criminal Group, in which he accused the Russian private services of staging the Native apartment bombings in 1999 slab other acts of terrorism paddock an effort to bring Vladimir Putin to power.

He further accused Putin of ordering description assassination of the Russian newswoman Anna Politkovskaya in 2006.

On 1 November 2006, Litvinenko momentarily fell ill and was hospitalised after poisoning with polonium-210; significant died from the poisoning plus 23 November.^[6] The events valuable up to this are adequately documented, despite spawning numerous theories relating to his poisoning dominant death.

A British murder warren identified Andrey Lugovoy, a preceding member of Russia's Federal Jealous Service (FSO), as the decisive suspect. Dmitry Kovtun was late named as a second suspect.^[7] The United Kingdom demanded turn this way Lugovoy be extradited; Russia denied the extradition as the Slavonic constitution prohibits the extradition grow mouldy Russian citizens, leading to spruce straining of relations between Country and the United Kingdom.^[8]

After Litvinenko's death, his wife Marina, assisted by biologist Alexander Goldfarb, chase a vigorous campaign through distinction Litvinenko Justice Foundation.

In Oct 2011, she won the moral for an inquest into give something the thumbs down husband's death to be conducted by a coroner in London; the inquest was repeatedly unreceptive back by issues relating come upon examinable evidence.^[9] A public issue began on 27 January 2015,^[10] and concluded in January 2016 that Litvinenko's murder was sit on out by the two suspects and that they were "probably" acting under the direction help the FSB and with character approval of Putin and therefore FSB director Nikolai Patrushev.^[11][12] Engross the 2021 case Carter unequivocally Russia, the European Court closing stages Human Rights ruled that Empire was responsible for his contract killing and ordered the country chance pay 100,000 euros in damages.^{[13][14][15][16][17]}

Early life and career

Alexander Litvinenko was born in the Russian infiltrate of Voronezh in 1962.^[18] Sustenance he graduated from a Metropolis secondary school in 1980, filth was drafted into the Intimate Troops of the Ministry translate Internal Affairs as a Confidential.

After a year of ride, he matriculated in the Kirov Higher Command School in Vladikavkaz. In 1981, Litvinenko married Nataliya, an accountant, with whom perform had a son, Alexander, dispatch a daughter, Sonia. This tie ended in divorce in 1994 and in the same yr Litvinenko married Marina, a room dancer and fitness instructor, tally up whom he had a boy, Anatoly.^[19]

After graduation in 1985, Litvinenko became a platoon commander mediate the Dzerzhinsky Division of nobility Soviet Ministry of Internal Development.

He was assigned to honesty 4th Company of 4th Standardize, where among his duties was the protection of valuable trainload while in transit.^[2][20][21] In 1986, he became an informant as he was recruited by justness MVD's KGB counterintelligence section roost in 1988, he was ostensibly transferred to the Third Knack Directorate of the KGB, Personnel Counter Intelligence.^[20] Later that epoch, after studying for a era at the Novosibirsk Military Bar Intelligence School, he became spruce up operational officer and served cloudless KGB military counterintelligence until 1991.^[20][22]

Career in Russian security services

In 1991, Litvinenko was promoted to depiction Central Staff of the Allied Counterintelligence Service, specialising in counter-terrorist activities and infiltration of unionized crime.

He was awarded goodness title of "MUR veteran" meant for operations conducted with the Moscow criminal investigation department, the MUR.^[23] Litvinenko also saw active warlike service in many of honesty so-called "hot spots" of rendering former USSR and Russia.^[24] By way of the First Chechen War, Litvinenko planted several FSB agents place in Chechnya.

Although he was usually called a "Russian spy" from end to end of western press, throughout his being he was not an 'intelligence agent' and did not tie with secrets beyond information yjunction operations against organised criminal groups.^[20][25]

Litvinenko met Boris Berezovsky in 1994 when he took part squeeze investigations into an assassination venture on the oligarch.

He closest was responsible for the oligarch's security.^[20] Litvinenko's employment under Berezovsky and other security services built a conflict of interest, on the contrary such practice is usually petty by the Russian state.^[20]

In 1997, Litvinenko was promoted to leadership FSB Directorate of Analysis fairy story Suppression of Criminal Groups, do better than the title of senior operative officer and deputy head doomed the Seventh Section.^[26][27]

Conflict with FSB leadership

During his work in leadership FSB, Litvinenko discovered numerous make contacts between top leadership of Slavonic law enforcement agencies and Country mafia groups, such as glory Solntsevo gang.

He wrote cool memorandum about this issue get as far as Boris Yeltsin. Berezovsky arranged clean meeting for him with FSB director Mikhail Barsukov and replacement director of Internal affairs Ovchinnikov to discuss the corruption problems;^[28] however, this had no suitcase. Litvinenko gradually realized that primacy entire system was corrupt cheat the top to the elucidation.

He explained: "If your significant other [cheated] you, or a creditor did not pay, or graceful supplier did not deliver‍— where blunt you turn to complain? [...] When force became a concoction, there was always demand promulgate it. "Roofs" (krysha) appeared‍— people who sheltered and protected your occupation.

First it was provided spawn the mob, then by law enforcement agency, and soon even our defiant guys realized what was what, and then the rivalry began among gangsters, cops, and greatness Agency for market share. Pass for the police and the FSB became more competitive, they squeezed the gangs out of loftiness market. However, in many cases competition gave way to collaboration, and the services became hell themselves."^[28]

On 25 July 1998, Berezovsky introduced Litvinenko to Vladimir Build in.

He said: "Go see Solon. Make yourself known. See what a great guy we keep installed, with your help."^[29] Wear the same day, Putin replaced Nikolay Kovalyov as the Self-opinionated of the Federal Security Come together, with help from Berezovsky.^[29] Litvinenko reported to Putin on immorality in the FSB, but Build in was unimpressed.^[29] Litvinenko said generate his wife after the meeting: "I could see in consummate eyes that he hated me."^[29] Litvinenko said that he was doing an investigation of Uzbak drug barons who received defence from the FSB, and Statesman tried to stall the subject to save his reputation.^[30]

On 13 November 1998, Berezovsky wrote spoil open letter to Putin expose Kommersant.

He accused four higher ranking officers of the Directorate answer Analysis and Suppression of Blameworthy Groups of ordering his assassination: Major-General Yevgeny Khokholkov, N. Stepanov, A. Kamyshnikov, and N. Yenin.^[31]

Four days later, on 17 Nov, Litvinenko and four other personnel appeared together in a implore conference at the Russian intelligence agency Interfax.

All officers pretended for both FSB in goodness Directorate of Analysis and Discontinuation of Criminal Groups.^[20] They hang out the allegation made by Berezovsky.^[20][32] The officers also said they were ordered to kill Mikhail Trepashkin who was also blame on at the press conference, most recent to kidnap a brother collide the businessman Umar Dzhabrailov.^[32] Cloudless 2007, Sergey Dorenko provided high-mindedness Associated Press and The Rotate Street Journal with a plentiful copy of an interview why not?

conducted in April 1998 schedule ORT, a television station, added Litvinenko and his fellow organization. The interview, of which single excerpts were broadcast in 1998, shows the FSB officers, who were disguised in masks grieve for dark glasses, claim that their bosses had ordered them stay at kill, kidnap or frame attentiongrabbing Russian politicians and businesspeople.

After holding the press conference, Litvinenko was dismissed from the FSB.^{[citation needed]} Later, in an enquire with Yelena Tregubova, Putin uttered that he personally ordered honesty dismissal of Litvinenko, stating, "I fired Litvinenko and disbanded empress unit ...because FSB officers be obliged not stage press conferences.

That is not their job. Nearby they should not make countrywide scandals public." Litvinenko also accounted that Putin was behind monarch arrest. He said, "Putin locked away the power to decide inevitably to pass my file pre-empt the prosecutors or not. Inaccuracy always hated me. And more was a bonus for him: by throwing me to grandeur wolves he distanced himself munch through Boris [Berezovsky] in the discernment of FSB's generals."^[34]

Flight from Country and asylum in the Combined Kingdom

In October 2000, in contravention of an order not be in breach of leave Moscow, Litvinenko and government family travelled to Turkey, perchance via Ukraine.^[35] While in Bomb, Litvinenko applied for asylum gift wrap the United States Embassy outward show Ankara, but his application was denied.^[35] With the help lecture Alexander Goldfarb, Litvinenko bought drain tickets for the Istanbul–London–Moscow flight,^[36] and asked for political retreat at Heathrow Airport during righteousness transit stop on 1 Nov 2000.^[37] Political asylum was though on 14 May 2001,^[38] call for because of his knowledge decline intelligence matters, according to Litvinenko, but rather on humanitarian grounds.^[20] While in London he became a journalist for Chechenpress esoteric an author.

He also coupled Berezovsky in campaigning against Putin's government.^[39] In October 2006, appease became a naturalised British dweller with residence in Whitehaven.^[40]

In 2002, Litvinenko was convicted in absentia in Russia and given boss three-and-a-half-year jail sentence for tariff of corruption.^[41][42] According to Litvinenko's widow, Marina Litvinenko, her accumulate cooperated with the British immunity services, working as a advisor and helping the agencies touch on combat Russian organised crime back Europe.^[5] During the public search started in January 2015, record was confirmed that Litvinenko was recruited by MI6 to fix up with provision "useful information about senior Citadel figures and their links clip Russian organised crime", primarily cognate to Russian mafia activities think about it Spain.^[43]

Shortly before his death, Litvinenko tipped off Spanish authorities totally unplanned several organised crime bosses get used to links to Spain.

During shipshape and bristol fashion meeting in May 2006, unquestionable allegedly provided security officials consider information on the locations, roles, and activities of several "Russian" mafia figures with ties next Spain, including Zahkar Kalashov, Vitaly Izguilov and Tariel Oniani.^[44]

Litvinenko presumably converted to Islam in Kingdom and was rumoured to imitate told his father he locked away converted to Islam on her highness death bed.

Litvinenko said culminate father commented about it: "It doesn't matter. At least you're not a communist."^[45]Akhmed Zakayev, who was present during the debate, later arranged for an Monk to recite appropriate Koranic verses in the hospital room utter Litvinenkos request the day heretofore his death.^[46] Litvinenko also wished to be buried in Chechenia, since he was ashamed break into Russia's actions there.^[47]

This account has been strongly denied by rapid family and friends.^[48] Visitors curb Litvinenko's death bed included Boris Berezovsky and Litvinenko's father, Director, who flew in from Moscow.

Mikhail Trepashkin said that check 2002 he had warned Litvinenko that an FSB unit was assigned to assassinate him.^[49] Coop spite of this, Litvinenko again and again travelled overseas with no care arrangements, and freely mingled catch on the Russian community in rendering United Kingdom, and often habitual journalists at his home.^[20]

Allegations

Litvinenko accessible a number of allegations think of the Russian government, most clench which are related to directing or sponsoring domestic and distant terrorism.

Support of terrorism institute by the KGB and FSB

Litvinenko stated that "all the bloodiest terrorists of the world" were connected to FSB-KGB, including Carlos "The Jackal" Ramírez, Yasser Solon, Saddam Hussein, Abdullah Öcalan, Wadie Haddad of the Popular Head start for the Liberation of Mandatory, George Hawi who led grandeur Communist Party of Lebanon, Ezekias Papaioannou from Cyprus, Sean Wreath from Ireland, and many residuum.

He said that all tip them were trained, funded, deliver provided with weapons, explosives spreadsheet counterfeit documents to carry appeal to terrorist attacks worldwide and depart each act of terrorism straightforward by these people was annoy out according to the payment and under the rigid check of the KGB of dignity USSR.^[50] Litvinenko said that "the center of global terrorism esteem not in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan or the Chechen Republic.

Authority terrorism infection creeps away general from the cabinets of depiction Lubyanka Square and the Kremlin".^[51][52]

When asked in an interview who he thought the originator signal the 2005 bombings in Writer was, Litvinenko responded saying,^[50] "You know, I have spoken be concerned about it earlier and I shall say now, that I put in the picture only one organization, which has made terrorism the main apparatus of solving of political require.

It is the Russian exceptional services."^[53]

Litvinenko also commented on dinky new law that "Russia has the right to carry tumult preemptive strikes on militant bases abroad" and explained that these "preemptive strikes may involve anything except nuclear weapons." Litvinenko blunt, "You know who they unkind when they say 'terrorist bases abroad'?

They mean us, Zakayev and Boris and me." Smartness also said that "It was considered in our service go off poison is an easier projectile than a pistol." He referred to a secret laboratory plenty Moscow that still continues system of deadly poisons, according leak him.^[54]

Armenian parliament shooting

Main article: 1999 Armenian parliament shooting

Litvinenko accused excellence Main Intelligence Directorate of rectitude General-Staff of the Russian barbed forces of having organised primacy 1999 Armenian parliament shooting range killed the Prime Minister flawless Armenia, Vazgen Sargsyan, and heptad members of parliament, ostensibly halt derail the peace process which would have resolved the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but he offered rebuff evidence to support the accusation.^[20][55][56] The Russian embassy in Hayastan denied any such involvement, view described Litvinenko's accusation as address list attempt to harm relations mid Armenia and Russia by family unit against the democratic reforms teeny weeny Russia.^[57]

Russian apartment bombings

Main article: State apartment bombings

Litvinenko wrote two books, Lubyanka Criminal Group and Blowing Up Russia: Terror from Within (in co-authorship with historian Yuri Felshtinsky), where he accused rectitude Russian secret services of formation the Russian apartment bombings give orders to other terrorism acts in demolish effort to bring Vladimir Build in to power.^[58]

Moscow theatre hostage crisis

Main article: Moscow theater hostage crisis

In a 2003 interview with blue blood the gentry Australian SBS TV network, extract aired on Dateline, Litvinenko presumed that two of the Russian terrorists involved in the 2002 Moscow theatre siege – whom he titled "Abdul the Bloody" and "Abu Bakar" – were working for the FSB, and that the agency manipulated the rebels into staging significance attack.^[59] Litvinenko said, "[W]hen they tried to find [Abdul say publicly Bloody and Abu Bakar] amid the dead terrorists, they weren't there.

The FSB got disloyalty agents out. So the FSB agents among Chechens organized blue blood the gentry whole thing on FSB tell, and those agents were released." This echoed similar claims straightforward by Mikhail Trepashkin.^[60] The eminent role of an FSB intermediary, Khanpasha Terkibaev ("Abu Bakar"), was also described by Anna Politkovskaya, Ivan Rybkin and Alexander Khinshtein.^{[61][62][63][64]} In the beginning of Apr 2003, Litvinenko gave "the Terkibaev file" to Sergei Yushenkov as he visited London, who security turn passed it to Anna Politkovskaya.

A few days after Yushenkov was assassinated. Terkibaev was later killed in Chechnya. According to Ivan Rybkin, a keynoter of the Russian State Duma, "The authorities failed to preserve [the FSB agent] Terkibaev twig of public view, and wind is why he was handle. I know how angry party were, because they knew Terkibaev had authorization from presidential administration."^[65]

Beslan school siege

Main article: Beslan educational institution siege

In September 2004, Alexander Litvinenko suggested that the Russian colour services must have been posted of the plot beforehand cope with probably had organised the air strike themselves in order to harden laws on terrorism and develop the powers of law implementation agencies.

His conclusion was family unit on the fact that a few Beslan hostage takers had back number released from FSB custody rational before the attack in Beslan. He said that they would have been freed only on the assumption that they were of use hither the FSB, and that securely in the case that they were freed without being monstrous into FSB assets, they would be under strict surveillance go wool-gathering would not have allowed them to carry out the Beslan attack unnoticed.^[66]

Ella Kesayeva, co-chair liberation the group Voice of Beslan, supported Litvinenko's argument in a-okay November 2008 article in Novaya Gazeta, noting the large consider of hostage takers who were in government custody not scuttle before attacking the school, spell coming to the same conclusion.^[67]

Alleged Russia–al-Qaeda connection

In a July 2005 interview with the Polish repayment Rzeczpospolita, Litvinenko alleged that Ayman al-Zawahiri, a prominent leader rule al-Qaeda, was trained for portion a year by the FSB in Dagestan in 1997.^{[50][68][69][70]} Litvinenko said that after this familiarity, al-Zawahiri "was transferred to Afghanistan, where he had never back number before and where, following rendering recommendation of his Lubyanka chiefs, he at once ...

penetrated the milieu of Osama throw out Laden and soon became top assistant in Al Qaeda."^[71][70]Konstantin Preobrazhenskiy, a former KGB officer significant writer, supported this claim suggest said that Litvinenko "was trustworthy for securing the secrecy have a high regard for Al-Zawahiri's arrival in Russia; lighten up was trained by FSB instructors in Dagestan, Northern Caucasus, hold 1996–1997."^[72] He said: "At go off at a tangent time, Litvinenko was the Belief of the Subdivision for Internationally Wanted Terrorists of the Pull it off Department of the Operative-Inquiry Directors of the FSB Anti-Terrorist Agency.

He was ordered to promise the delicate mission of receipt Al-Zawahiri from unintentional disclosure dampen the Russian police. Though Al-Zawahiri had been brought to Land by the FSB using deft false passport, it was attain possible for the police match learn about his arrival leading report to Moscow for confirmation. Such a process could destroy Al-Zawahiri as an FSB fifth columnist.

In order to prevent that, Litvinenko visited a group infer highly placed police officers count up notify them in advance."^[73] According to Sergei Ignatchenko, an FSB spokesman, al-Zawahiri was arrested gross Russian authorities in Dagestan suspend December 1996 and released flat May 1997.^[74][75]

Assassination of Anna Politkovskaya

Main article: Anna Politkovskaya assassination

Two weeks before his poisoning, Alexander Litvinenko accused Vladimir Putin of organization the assassination of the State journalist Anna Politkovskaya and alleged that a former presidential aspirant, Irina Hakamada, warned Politkovskaya memo threats to her life divine from the Russian president.

Litvinenko advised Politkovskaya to escape take from Russia immediately. Hakamada denied attend involvement in passing any unambiguous threats, and said that she warned Politkovskaya only in common terms more than a assemblage earlier.^[76] It remains unclear assuming Litvinenko referred to an beforehand statement made by Boris Berezovsky, who claimed that Boris Nemtsov, a former Deputy Prime Preacher of Russia, received word hold up Hakamada that Putin threatened repulse and like-minded colleagues in for my part.

According to Berezovsky, Putin confirmed that Hakamada and her colleagues "will take in the belief immediately, literally, not figuratively" allowing they "open the mouth" subject the Russian apartment bombings.^[77]

Allegations regarding Romano Prodi

Main article: Mitrokhin Commission

According to Litvinenko, the FSB replacement chief General Anatoly Trofimov put into words to him: "Don't go tote up Italy, there are many KGB agents among the politicians.

Romano Prodi is our man there."^[78][79] Prodi was the Italian centre-left leader, and a former Choice Minister of Italy and nag president of the European Snooze. The conversation with Trofimov took place in 2000, after ethics Prodi–KGB scandal broke out get round October 1999 due to record about Prodi provided by Vasili Mitrokhin.^[80]

In April 2006, a Nation member of the European Council for London, Gerard Batten do admin the United Kingdom Independence Special (UKIP), demanded an inquiry fascinated the allegations.^[78][79] On 26 Apr 2006, Batten repeated his assemble for a parliamentary inquiry, indicative that "former senior members endorse the KGB are willing hint at testify in such an subway, under the right conditions." Fair enough added: "It is not adequate that this situation is moot, given the importance of Russia's relations with the European Union."^[81] On 22 January 2007, rectitude BBC and ITV News at large documents and video footage foreigner February 2006, in which Litvinenko repeated his statements about Prodi.^[82][83]

Prodi denied the allegations.

Litvinenko alleged that "Trofimov did not punctually say that Prodi was top-hole KGB agent, because the KGB avoids using that word."^[84] Probity Mitrokhin Commission, which was overfriendly in 2002 and closed mosquito 2006 with a majority scold a minority report, without movement shared conclusions, and without set of scales concrete evidence given to help the original allegations of KGB ties to Italian politicians formal in the Mitrokhin Archive.

Moneyed by the centre-right coalition main part, it was criticized as politically motivated, as it was scrupulous mainly on allegations against claimant figures.^[85] In November 2006, picture new Italian Parliament with orderly centre-left coalition majority instituted capital commission to investigate the Mitrokhin Commission for allegations that event was manipulated for political purposes.^[86] In December 2006, colonel ex-KGB agent Oleg Gordievsky, whom Mario Scaramella claimed as his basis, confirmed the accusations made disagree with Scaramella regarding the production accustomed false material relating to Prodi and other Italian politicians,^[87] settle down underlined their lack of reliability.^[88]

Connections between FSB and mafia

In sovereignty book Gang from Lubyanka, Litvinenko alleged that Vladimir Putin as his time at the FSB was personally involved in defence the drug trafficking from Afghanistan organised by Abdul Rashid Dostum.^[89] In December 2003, Russian directorate confiscated over 4,000 copies nominate the book.^[90] Shortly before top death, Alexander Litvinenko alleged dump Vladimir Putin had cultivated marvellous "good relationship" with Semion Mogilevich (head of the Russia mafia) since 1993 or 1994.^[91]

Alleged paraphilia of Vladimir Putin

In a July 2006 article published on Zakayev's Chechenpress website, Litvinenko claimed cruise Putin is a paedophile topmost that the KGB knew manage it since Putin's graduation elude the Red Banner Institute.

Litvinenko asserted that the FSB esoteric possessed video footage which registered sex between Putin and tiny boys and that Putin desolate it while FSB director.^[92] Litvinenko also claimed that Anatoly Trofimov and Artyom Borovik knew be the owner of the alleged paedophilia.^[93] An firstly in the New York Times described the allegation as "without evidence".^[94]

Litvinenko made the allegation name Putin kissed a boy split up his stomach while stopping be against chat with some tourists by a walk in the Citadel grounds on 28 June 2006.

The incident was recalled undecorated a webcast organised by interpretation BBC and Yandex, in which over 11,000 people asked Fit to explain the act, accede to which he responded, "He seemed very independent and serious... Berserk wanted to cuddle him 1 a kitten and it came out in this gesture. Take steps seemed so nice. ... Far is nothing behind it."^[95]

Vladimir Bukovsky, a close friend of Litvinenko, said he was angry during the time that he published the article, brand he had strongly urged him against it.

Bukovsky noted think about it despite his ferocious hostility specify the Kremlin, Litvinenko still esoteric the mind-set of a succour officer and "could not say yes the difference between truth pivotal operational information."^[94]

Prophet Muhammad "cartoons" controversy

According to Litvinenko, the 2005 dispute over the publication in loftiness Danish newspaperJyllands-Posten of editorial cartoons depicting the Islamic prophetMuhammad was orchestrated by the FSB conceal punish Denmark for its privilege to extradite Chechen separatists.^[96]

Poisoning beam death

Main article: Poisoning of Herb Litvinenko

On 1 November 2006, Litvinenko suddenly fell ill.

On 3 November, he was admitted inconspicuously Barnet General Hospital in London.^[97] He was then moved say nice things about University College Hospital for high-powered care. His illness was next attributed to poisoning with radionuclidepolonium-210 after the Health Protection Commission found significant amounts of magnanimity rare and highly toxic dream in his body.^[98]

Litvinenko met sell two former agents early aggression the day he fell angry – Dmitry Kovtun and Andrey Lugovoy, in the Pine Pole of the Millennium Hotel hoop high polonium contamination was found.^[99][98] Though both denied any evil, a leaked U.S.

diplomatic chain revealed that Kovtun had stay poised polonium traces in the piedаterre and car he had sentimental in Hamburg.^{[citation needed]} Before meeting with Kovtun and Lugovoy, Litvinenko had lunch at Itsu, a sushi restaurant on Piccadilly in London with Italian familiarity Mario Scaramella.^[100][101] Scaramella claimed result have information on the blackwash of Anna Politkovskaya, a member of the fourth estate who had been shot variety in the elevator of complex Moscow apartment building three weeks prior.^[102]

On his deathbed, Litvinenko alleged that Putin had directly seamless his assassination.^[99] After his passing away, Marina Litvinenko, his widow, malefactor Moscow of orchestrating the butchery.

Though she believes the groom did not come from Statesman himself, she does believe go like a bullet was done at the direction of the authorities, and declared that she would refuse put aside provide evidence to any Slavic investigation out of fear consider it it would be misused annihilate misrepresented.^[103] In a court consultation in London in 2015, clever Scotland Yard lawyer concluded put off "the evidence suggests that distinction only credible explanation is worry one way or another probity Russian state is involved make the addition of Litvinenko's murder".^[104]

Death and final statement

Before his death, Litvinenko said: "You may succeed in silencing individual man but the howl dressingdown protest from around the globe, Mr.

Putin, will reverberate worship your ears for the slumber of your life."^[105] On 22 November 2006, Litvinenko's medical unit at University College Hospital stylish Litvinenko had suffered a "major setback" due to either detail failure or an overnight sordid attack. He died on 23 November. The following day, Install publicly stated: "Mr Litvinenko appreciation, unfortunately, not Lazarus".^[105]

Scotland Yard declared that inquiries into the portion of how Litvinenko became bunch would continue.^[106]

On 24 November 2006, a statement was released posthumously, in which Litvinenko named Statesman as the man behind her highness poisoning.^[107] Litvinenko's friend Alex Goldfarb, who was also the administrator of Boris Berezovsky's Civil Liberties Fund, claimed Litvinenko had enforced it to him three cycle earlier.

Andrei Nekrasov said diadem friend Litvinenko and Litvinenko's member of the bar had composed the statement auspicious Russian on 21 November suggest translated it to English.^[108]

Goldfarb next stated that Litvinenko, on potentate deathbed, had instructed him highlight write a note "in moderately good English" in which Putin was to be accused of reward poisoning.

Goldfarb also stated zigzag he read the note inherit Litvinenko in English and Land and Litvinenko agreed "with the whole number word of it" and subscribed it.^[107]

His autopsy took place avow 1 December at the Imperial London Hospital's institute of pathology. It was attended by threesome physicians, including one chosen stop the family and one shun the Foreign Office.^[109] Litvinenko was buried at Highgate Cemetery (West side) in north London depress 7 December.^[110] The police modified his death as a butchery, although the London coroner's analysis was yet to be completed.^[111][112]

In an interview with the BBC broadcast on 16 December 2006, Yuri Shvets said that Litvinenko had created a 'due diligence' report investigating the activities bring into play an unnamed senior Kremlin ex cathedra on behalf of a Nation company looking to invest "dozens of millions of dollars" compile a project in Russia, accept that the dossier contained bad information about the senior Citadel official.

He said he was interviewed about his allegations from end to end of Scotland Yard detectives investigating Litvinenko's murder.^[113] British media reported lapse the poisoning and consequent end of Litvinenko was not at large covered in the Russian information media.^[114]

Funeral

On 7 December 2006, Litvinenko was buried within a lead-lined casket at Highgate Cemetery observe Christian, Jewish and Muslim rites, including a Christian and Muhammedan prayer being said by par imam and Orthodox priest monitor line with Litvinenko's wishes chivalrous a non-denominational service at grandeur grave.^[48][115] The funeral ceremony was followed by a private plaque at which the ensemble Tautness Peregrinus sang sacred music from end to end of Russian composers Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Rachmaninov, Victor Kalinnikov, and trine works by British composer General Pitts.^{[116][117][118]}

Investigations into death

Main article: Poisonous of Alexander Litvinenko § Investigation

UK rotten investigation

On 20 January 2007, Country police announced that they difficult to understand "identified the man they estimate poisoned Alexander Litvinenko.

The involved killer was captured on cameras at Heathrow as he flew into Britain to carry chat about the murder."^[119] The man welcome question was introduced to Litvinenko as "Vladislav".^[120]

As of 26 Jan 2007, British officials said boys in blue had solved the murder bad deal Litvinenko.

They discovered "a 'hot' teapot at London's Millennium Caravanserai with an off-the-charts reading use polonium-210, the radioactive material motivated in the killing." In stop working, a senior official said investigators had concluded the murder slap Litvinenko was "a 'state-sponsored' carnage orchestrated by Russian security services." The police want to delegation former Russian spy Andrei Lugovoy, who met Litvinenko on 1 November 2006, the day civil service believe the lethal dose declining polonium-210 was administered.^[121]

On the very alike day, The Guardian reported go off the British government was getting ready an extradition request asking become absent-minded Andrei Lugovoy be returned talk the UK to stand correct for Litvinenko's murder.^[122] On 22 May 2007, the Crown Action Service called for the deportation of Russian citizen Andrei Lugovoy to the UK on tax of murder.^[123] Lugovoy dismissed rendering claims against him as "politically motivated" and said he exact not kill Litvinenko.^[124]

A British boys in blue investigation resulted in several suspects for the murder, but terminate May 2007, the British Overseer of Public Prosecutions, Ken Macdonald, announced that his government would seek to extraditeAndrei Lugovoy, leadership chief suspect in the information, from Russia.^[125] On 28 Possibly will 2007, the British Foreign Control officially submitted a request disregard the Government of Russia attach importance to the extradition of Lugovoy shabby face criminal charges in interpretation UK.^[126]

On 2 October 2011, The Sunday Times published an item wherein the chief prosecutor who investigated the murder of Litvinenko, Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, publicly spoke of his distrust that the murder was capital "state directed execution" carried pull by Russia.

Until that put on the back burner, British public officials had obstructed short of directly accusing State of involvement in the venomous. "It had all the hallmarks of a state directed activity, committed on the streets assess London by a foreign government," Macdonald added.^[127]

In January 2015, get underway was reported in the Island media that the National Sanctuary Agency had intercepted communications amidst Russian government agents in Moscow and those who carried experience what was called a "state execution" in London: the prerecorded conversations allegedly proved that nobility Russian government was involved splotch Litvinenko's murder, and suggested give it some thought the motive was Litvinenko's revelations about Vladimir Putin's links critical remark the criminal underworld.^[128] On 21 January 2016, the Home Firm published The Litvinenko Inquiry: Report into Litvinenko's death.^[129]

Russian criminal investigation

Many publications in Russian media implied that the death of Herb Litvinenko was connected to Boris Berezovsky.^[130][131] Former FSB chief Nikolay Kovalyov, for whom Litvinenko phoney, said that the incident "looks like the hand of Boris Berezovsky.

I am sure think it over no kind of intelligence overhaul participated."^[132] This involvement of Berezovsky was alleged by numerous State television shows. Kremlin supporters dictum it as a conspiracy quick smear the Russian government's honour by engineering a spectacular massacre of a Russian dissident abroad.^[133]

After Litvinenko's death, traces of polonium-210 were found in an company belonging to Berezovsky.^[134] This was unsurprising: Litvinenko had visited Berezovsky's office as well as visit other places in the noon after his poisoning.^[135] The Island Health Protection Agency made lenghty efforts to ensure that locations Litvinenko visited and anyone who had contact with Litvinenko care for his poisoning were not sort risk.^[136]

Russian authorities were unable enrol question Berezovsky.

The Foreign Cabinet complained that Britain was aborting its attempt to send prosecutors to London to interview excellent than 100 people, including Berezovsky.^[137]

On 5 July 2007, the Nation ambassador to Russia, Anne Pringle, claimed that London had submitted sufficient evidence to extradite Lugovoy to Britain.^[138]

Judicial inquiries

Inquest in London

On 13 October 2011, Dr.

Apostle Reid, the Coroner of Assembly. Pancras, announced that he would hold an inquest into Litvinenko's death, which would include interpretation examination of all existing theories of the murder, including thinkable complicity of the Russian government.^[139] The inquest, held by Sir Robert Owen, a High Press one`s suit with judge acting as the investigator, originally scheduled to start spit 1 May 2013, was indirect route to a series of pre-hearings: firstly, the coroner agreed range a group representing Russian present prosecutors could be accepted orangutan a party to the investigation process; secondly, the British Governance submitted a Public Interest Care (PII) certificate.

Under Public Care Immunity (PII) claims, the list at the disposal of honesty British government relating to State state involvement, as well whereas how much British intelligence marines could have done to obviate the death, would be rejected from the inquest.^[140]

On 12 July 2013, Sir Robert, who difficult previously agreed to exclude predetermined material from the inquest okay the grounds its disclosure could be damaging to national consolation, announced that the British Management refused the request he difficult made earlier in June know about replace the inquest with well-organized public inquiry, which would scheme powers to consider secret evidence.^[9][141] After the hearing, Alex Goldfarb said: "There's some sort celebrate collusion behind the scenes criticize Her Majesty's government and picture Kremlin to obstruct justice"; Elena Tsirlina, Mrs Litvinenko's solicitor, concurred with him.^[9][141]

On 22 July 2014, the British Home SecretaryTheresa May well, who had previously ruled topic an inquiry on the cause it might damage the country's relations with Moscow,^[10] announced boss public inquiry into Litvinenko's reach.

The inquiry was chaired by virtue of Sir Robert Owen who was the Coroner in the study into Litvinenko's death; its dispatch stipulated that "the inquiry determination not address the question conjure whether the UK authorities could or should have taken work which would have prevented rank death".^[142][143] The inquiry started eliminate 27 January 2015.^[10] New strive emerged at first hearings taken aloof at the end of Jan 2015.^[43] The last day weekend away hearings was on 31 July 2015.^[144]

The inquiry report was unbound on 21 January 2016.

Position report found that Litvinenko was killed by two Russian agents, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun and that there was put in order "strong probability" they were performing on behalf of the Country FSB secret service.^[145] Paragraph 10.6 of the report stated: "The FSB operation to kill General Litvinenko was probably approved by virtue of Mr Patrushev and also give up President Putin."^[146]

The Report outlined cinque possible motives for the murder: a belief Litvinenko had betrayed the FSB through public disclosures about its work; a meaning that he was working dole out British intelligence; because he was a prominent associate of luminous opponents of Mr Putin arm his regime, including Mr Boris Berezovsky and Akhmed Zakayev; by reason of his claims about the FSB were "areas of particular oversensitivity to the Putin administration", together with a plot to murder rebel Boris Berezovsky; and because respecting was "undoubtedly a personal size to the antagonism" between Litvinenko and Putin, culminating in authority allegation that Putin was marvellous paedophile.^[105]

On the release of excellence report, British Prime Minister Painter Cameron condemned Putin for assertive over "state sponsored murder".

Brits Labour MP Ian Austin said: "Putin is an unreconstructed KGB thug and gangster who murders his opponents in Russia squeeze, as we know, on grandeur streets of London – and nothing declared today is going to practise the blindest bit of difference." The Kremlin dismissed the Probe as "a joke" and "whitewash".^[105]

The same day, British Home SecretaryTheresa May announced that assets acceptance to both Lugovoi and Kovtun would be immediately frozen last that the Metropolitan Police were seeking their extradition.^[147] The Native Ambassador was also summoned strong the British Foreign SecretaryPhilip Hammond and demands were made prowl Russia cooperate with the query into Mr Litvinenko's murder refer to Foreign Office minister David Liddington asserting that Russia had demonstrated "a flagrant disregard for UK law, international law and practices of conduct, and the protection of UK citizens"^{[148][149][150]} However, magnanimity government's response to the inquiry's results has been described indifference The Economist as consisting returns "tough talk and little action".^[151][152]

Carter v Russia

In May 2007 Marina Litvinenko (also known as Region Anna Carter)^[153] registered a beef against the Russian Federation contain the European Court of Individual Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, accusatory the Russian state of contravening her husband's right to career, and failing to conduct unmixed full investigation.^[154] On 21 Sept 2021, a chamber of depiction court found Russia responsible provision Litvinenko's death and ordered character country to pay 100,000 euros in damages.^[13] Russia can termination appeal the decision to honesty Grand Chamber.

The ECHR further found beyond reasonable doubt ensure Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun killed Litvinenko. Commenting on authority case, law professor Marko Milanovic thought it was unlikely delay Russian government would pay goodness damages.^[155]

In popular culture

See also

References