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Litvinenko's wife says he feared reprisals after Berezovsky claim Alexander Litvinenko was 'a paid consultant' for MI6
(about 2 hours later)
Alexander Litvinenko expected to be arrested or killed after he accused Russia's spy agency of asking him to murder Boris Beresovsky, his wife Marina has told a UK court. Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko was paid £2,000 a month by a British intelligence agency, his widow Marina has told a UK court.
At the inquiry into the Russian ex-spy's death, Mrs Litvinenko spoke about how her husband lost faith in his work. At the inquiry into the Russian ex-spy's death, Mrs Litvinenko revealed her husband acted as a "consultant" to a British intelligence service.
He grew disillusioned with the first Chechen War and corruption within the Russian secret service, she said. She could not say which agency but the BBC understands it was MI6.
He told the FSB's then leader Vladimir Putin of his concerns, his widow said. The court heard earlier that Mr Litvinenko fled to the UK after making claims against Russia's spy agency.
It is the first time Mrs Litvinenko has given evidence at the public inquiry into the death of Mr Litvinenko, who died in a London hospital in 2006 from radiation poisoning. It is the first time Mrs Litvinenko has given evidence at the public inquiry into the death of Mr Litvinenko, who died after drinking tea laced with radioactive polonium at a hotel in London in 2006.
Mrs Litvinenko told the court that after a press conference in 1998 - where her husband stated publicly that he had been asked to murder businessman Boris Berezovsk - he confided in her that he thought he would soon be killed or arrested.
He said he feared that their whole family would be held responsible - something that led to their decision to leave Russia.
'I'm a KGB officer''I'm a KGB officer'
Mrs Litvinenko explained how they later flew to the UK where they were given asylum and changed their names. Mrs Litvinenko told the court that after a 1998 press conference - during which her husband revealed he had been asked to murder businessman Boris Berezovsky - he confided in her that he thought he would soon be killed or arrested.
At Heathrow, Mr Litvinenko apparently approached a police officer and said: "I'm a KGB officer and I'm asking for political asylum." He feared the whole family would be condemned, she said, which led to their decision to leave Russia.
On landing at London's Heathrow Airport, Mr Litvinenko apparently approached a police officer and said: "I'm a KGB officer and I'm asking for political asylum."
After being granted asylum, Mr Litvinenko began to receive support payments from Mr Berezovsky - who Mrs Litvinenko described as a friend - while he spoke out against the Russian government and wrote for Chechen websites.
Mr Berezovsky later stopped the payments, and Mr Litvinenko began to act as a paid consultant for MI6, receiving £2,000 a month.
Putin claims
She told the inquiry that her husband believed Vladimir Putin - whom he knew as head of Russian spy agency the FSB - was involved in "criminal conduct".
She did not know details of Mr Putin's alleged criminal connections but said that during the period that he was mayor of St Petersburg, the city was known as "the criminal capital of Russia".
It is already known that Mr Litvinenko revealed he was asked to carry out a murder, but on Monday the court heard new details about his career and how he got to know Russian businessman Mr Berezovsky.It is already known that Mr Litvinenko revealed he was asked to carry out a murder, but on Monday the court heard new details about his career and how he got to know Russian businessman Mr Berezovsky.
Mr Litvinenko joined the secret service - then the KGB - towards the end of the Cold War and later, after it had been renamed the FSB, he became part of an anti-terrorist unit.Mr Litvinenko joined the secret service - then the KGB - towards the end of the Cold War and later, after it had been renamed the FSB, he became part of an anti-terrorist unit.
He next joined a specialist unit targeting organised crime, through which he met Mr Berezovsky.He next joined a specialist unit targeting organised crime, through which he met Mr Berezovsky.
Mr Berezovsky amassed a fortune in the 1990s following the privatisation of state assets after the collapse of Soviet communism.
He emigrated to the UK in 2000 and was granted political asylum in 2003 on the grounds his life would be in danger in Russia.
He was found dead at his Berkshire home in 2013. An inquest into his death returned an open verdict.
The barrister representing the Litvinenko family claimed earlier in the inquiry that Mr Litvinenko was murdered for attempting to "expose the corruption" at the heart of Vladimir Putin's "mafia state".The barrister representing the Litvinenko family claimed earlier in the inquiry that Mr Litvinenko was murdered for attempting to "expose the corruption" at the heart of Vladimir Putin's "mafia state".
Ben Emmerson QC said there was "no doubt" that two Russians, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun, were responsible. The two Russian men identified by the UK police investigation as being suspects, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun, have denied any involvement and remain in Russia.
Both men have denied any involvement and remain in Russia.