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British Inquiry Into Litvinenko Poisoning Prepares to Reveal Findings Putin ‘Probably Approved’ Litvinenko Poisoning, British Inquiry Says
(about 2 hours later)
LONDON — Almost a year after it began gathering evidence into the poisoning death of Alexander V. Litvinenko, a former K.G.B. officer who turned against the Kremlin, a high-profile British inquiry was set to report on Thursday on issues including the possibility of Russian state involvement in his death. LONDON — A high-profile British inquiry into the poisoning of Alexander V. Litvinenko, a former K.G.B. officer and foe of the Kremlin, concluded on Thursday that his murder “was probably approved” by the head of Russia’s spy service and President Vladimir V. Putin.
Depending on its conclusions, the report could revive strains in relations between Britain and Russia, which were plunged into an icy chill by the death of Mr. Litvinenko, a professed whistle-blower who had sought to expose corruption in Moscow’s security services. The finding by Robert Owen, a retired judge, in a 328-page report represented by far the most damning official link between Mr. Litvinenko’s death on Nov. 23, 2006, and the highest levels of the Kremlin.
Mr. Litvinenko died on Nov. 23, 2006, 22 days after ingesting green tea laced with polonium 210 — a rare and highly toxic isotope — in the company of two Russian associates, Andrei K. Lugovoi and Dmitri V. Kovtun. He was 43. The three men had met in the Pine Bar of the upscale Millennium Hotel in London. “Taking full account of all the evidence and analysis available to me,” Judge Owen said in the report, “I find that the F.S.B. operation to kill Mr. Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr. Patrushev and also by President Putin.” Nikolai Patrushev was head of the F.S.B., the domestic successor to the K.G.B.
Mr. Litvinenko died 22 days after ingesting green tea laced with polonium 210 — a rare and highly toxic isotope — in the company of two Russian associates, Andrei K. Lugovoi and Dmitri V. Kovtun. He was 43. The three men had met in the Pine Bar of the upscale Millennium Hotel in London.
Within hours of the meeting at the hotel in Grosvenor Square, Mr. Litvinenko became violently ill. His symptoms baffled physicians, until British scientists examined one of the last urine samples collected from him and discovered high levels of polonium, which was once used as a nuclear trigger and is almost exclusively produced in Russia. The scientists confirmed their findings hours before he died in what might otherwise have been the perfect crime.Within hours of the meeting at the hotel in Grosvenor Square, Mr. Litvinenko became violently ill. His symptoms baffled physicians, until British scientists examined one of the last urine samples collected from him and discovered high levels of polonium, which was once used as a nuclear trigger and is almost exclusively produced in Russia. The scientists confirmed their findings hours before he died in what might otherwise have been the perfect crime.
The inquiry, led by Sir Robert Owen, a retired High Court judge, was called after years of dogged efforts by Mr. Litvinenko’s widow, Marina, to press for a full accounting of her husband’s death. The British police have accused Mr. Lugovoi and Mr. Kovtun of murder, charges they deny. The inquiry, led by Judge Owen, a retired High Court judge, was called after years of dogged efforts by Mr. Litvinenko’s widow, Marina, to press for a full accounting of her husband’s death. The British police have accused Mr. Lugovoi and Mr. Kovtun of murder, charges they deny.
In a long list of issues to be investigated, the inquiry is charged with reporting on “possible involvement of Russian state agencies in Alexander Litvinenko’s death” and “possible involvement of U.K. intelligence agencies” in the poisoning. In a long list of issues to be investigated, the inquiry was charged with reporting on “possible involvement of Russian state agencies in Alexander Litvinenko’s death” and “possible involvement of U.K. intelligence agencies” in the poisoning.
The Kremlin withdrew from the inquiry and refused British requests to hand over Mr. Lugovoi, a former K.G.B. bodyguard, and Mr. Kovtun, a onetime Red Army officer, to face murder charges. The Russian Constitution does not permit the extradition of citizens, Moscow has said.The Kremlin withdrew from the inquiry and refused British requests to hand over Mr. Lugovoi, a former K.G.B. bodyguard, and Mr. Kovtun, a onetime Red Army officer, to face murder charges. The Russian Constitution does not permit the extradition of citizens, Moscow has said.
In a deathbed statement, Mr. Litvinenko, a longtime critic of the Kremlin, denounced President Vladimir V. Putin and accused him of murder — a charge the Russian leader denied. In a deathbed statement, Mr. Litvinenko, a longtime critic of the Kremlin, denounced Mr. Putin and accused him of murder — a charge the Russian leader denied.
“You may succeed in silencing one man, but the howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr. Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life,” Mr. Litvinenko’s statement said.“You may succeed in silencing one man, but the howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr. Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life,” Mr. Litvinenko’s statement said.
Mr. Litvinenko, his wife and their son, Anatoly, had lived in Britain since fleeing Russia in 2000 and had secured British citizenship weeks before he died. Ms. Litvinenko has told the inquiry that her husband worked as an agent of the British MI6 spy service.Mr. Litvinenko, his wife and their son, Anatoly, had lived in Britain since fleeing Russia in 2000 and had secured British citizenship weeks before he died. Ms. Litvinenko has told the inquiry that her husband worked as an agent of the British MI6 spy service.
Testimony at the inquiry suggested that Mr. Litvinenko was seeking to trace links between Mr. Putin, his entourage and organized crime groups. He was planning to travel to Spain to meet with Spanish investigators when he was poisoned. Testimony at the inquiry suggested that Mr. Litvinenko was seeking to trace links between Mr. Putin, his entourage and organized crime groups. He was planning to travel to Spain to meet with investigators there when he was poisoned.
His death plunged relations between London and Moscow into a freeze reminiscent of the Cold War, although ties gradually improved as Prime Minister David Cameron, like other Western leaders, sought Mr. Putin’s support on key issues such as the civil war in Syria and the Iranian nuclear program.His death plunged relations between London and Moscow into a freeze reminiscent of the Cold War, although ties gradually improved as Prime Minister David Cameron, like other Western leaders, sought Mr. Putin’s support on key issues such as the civil war in Syria and the Iranian nuclear program.
In recent days, news reports have indicated that British diplomats are eager to maintain those ties with the Kremlin, whatever the outcome of Judge Owen’s inquiry, which began almost one year ago on Jan. 27, 2015. In recent days, news reports have indicated that British diplomats were eager to maintain those ties with the Kremlin, whatever the outcome of Judge Owen’s inquiry, which began almost one year ago on Jan. 27, 2015.
Judge Owen heard public testimony from 62 witnesses in 34 days of hearings. Closed-door hearings were held to interview other witnesses, however, and their testimony will not be included in the final report. The official secrecy reflected a determined effort by British government ministers, citing the needs of national security, to limit the scope of the inquiry’s disclosures.Judge Owen heard public testimony from 62 witnesses in 34 days of hearings. Closed-door hearings were held to interview other witnesses, however, and their testimony will not be included in the final report. The official secrecy reflected a determined effort by British government ministers, citing the needs of national security, to limit the scope of the inquiry’s disclosures.
Testimony at the hearings included previously unpublished transcripts of police interviews with Mr. Litvinenko as he lay in a hospital bed in central London. Based on what he told them, British detectives pieced together an itinerary of his movements and those of his Russian contacts before his death.Testimony at the hearings included previously unpublished transcripts of police interviews with Mr. Litvinenko as he lay in a hospital bed in central London. Based on what he told them, British detectives pieced together an itinerary of his movements and those of his Russian contacts before his death.
Once the presence of the deadly isotope was discovered, investigators followed what became known as the polonium trail, connecting locations visited by Mr. Lugovoi and Mr. Kovtun in October and November 2006.Once the presence of the deadly isotope was discovered, investigators followed what became known as the polonium trail, connecting locations visited by Mr. Lugovoi and Mr. Kovtun in October and November 2006.
The most striking readings came from the Millennium Hotel, close to the United States Embassy, where investigators retrieved a “mangled clump of debris” with high concentrations of polonium from the waste pipe under the wash basin of a bedroom used by Mr. Kovtun.The most striking readings came from the Millennium Hotel, close to the United States Embassy, where investigators retrieved a “mangled clump of debris” with high concentrations of polonium from the waste pipe under the wash basin of a bedroom used by Mr. Kovtun.
“The reason that evidence is so pivotal, of course, is because Dmitri Kovtun stayed in that room on the very day that he and Mr. Lugovoi administered the fatal dose of polonium some floors below in the Pine Bar of the same hotel,” Ben Emmerson, a lawyer representing Ms. Litvinenko, said on the final day of hearings on July 31, 2015, before Judge Owen began composing the report.“The reason that evidence is so pivotal, of course, is because Dmitri Kovtun stayed in that room on the very day that he and Mr. Lugovoi administered the fatal dose of polonium some floors below in the Pine Bar of the same hotel,” Ben Emmerson, a lawyer representing Ms. Litvinenko, said on the final day of hearings on July 31, 2015, before Judge Owen began composing the report.
At the same hearings, Richard Horwell, a lawyer representing Scotland Yard, told the inquiry that “it is the scientific evidence that condemns Lugovoi and Kovtun,” who “have no credible answer to the scientific evidence and to the trail of polonium they left behind.”At the same hearings, Richard Horwell, a lawyer representing Scotland Yard, told the inquiry that “it is the scientific evidence that condemns Lugovoi and Kovtun,” who “have no credible answer to the scientific evidence and to the trail of polonium they left behind.”
Both men have insisted that Mr. Litvinenko was the source of the polonium and, in fact, had tried to poison them.Both men have insisted that Mr. Litvinenko was the source of the polonium and, in fact, had tried to poison them.