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UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 11:02am On Jan 21, 2016


Russian President Vladimir Putin "probably" approved the assassination of ex-KGB agent turned Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006, a public UK inquiry has found.


Sir Robert Owen said on Thursday it was likely the Russian leader signed off the killing of the former spy following a long-running feud.

His 300-page report said Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun were probably acting under the direction of Moscow's FSB intelligence service when they poisoned the 43-year-old with radioactive polonium 210 at London's Millennium Hotel in Mayfair.


Singling out then-FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev alongside Putin, he wrote: "Taking full account of all the evidence and analysis available to me I find that the FSB operation to kill Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr Patrushev and also by President Putin."

Litvinenko, a Russian spy turned dissident who lived in exile in Britain, died in November 2006 three weeks after drinking green tea laced with radioactive polonium-210 at London's plush Millennium Hotel.

From his deathbed, the 43-year-old told detectives that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directly ordered his killing.

The Kremlin dismissed that claim as ridiculous at the time and has always denied involvement.

British police had accused Kovtun and Lugovoi, the two Russians Litvinenko met for tea, of carrying out the killing. Both deny involvement, and Moscow refuses to extradite them.

Poisoned to death


The inquiry heard from 62 witnesses over six months of public hearings and - behind closed doors - saw secret intelligence evidence about Litvinenko and his links to UK spy agencies.

Litvinenko's widow Marina told the inquiry that her husband was a loyal intelligence agent who grew disillusioned with Russia's 1990s war in Chechnya and by what he saw as corruption within the FSB security service, the successor to the KGB.

He fled to Britain in 2000 and was granted asylum, becoming an outspoken critic of Putin and his allies.

When he became violently ill in November 2006, Litvinenko's doctors initially diagnosed him with a stomach infection.

But as his condition worsened, his white blood cell count plummeted, making him susceptible to infection.

"His skin had turned yellow, indicating liver dysfunction, and he was tested for the two most likely causes, hepatitis and Aids, but neither was the case," John Emsley wrote in Molecules of Murder, a crime book that includes a chapter on polonium poisoning. "Then his hair began to fall out."


Doctors eventually decided that Litvinenko was suffering from radiation poisoning, and further tests identified polonium as the culprit.

Litvinenko's body was so radioactive that the autopsy was conducted by medics in protective clothing and ventilation hoods. A lawyer for the police said that the killing may have exposed hundreds or even thousands of Londoners to radioactive contamination.

British detectives and scientists told the inquiry that a radioactive trail was left at hotels, restaurants and other sites across London visited by Kovtun and Lugovoi, a former agent for the FSB security service who is now a Russian politician and was decorated by Putin for services to the nation.

Tense relations

Litvinenko's death marked a post-Cold War low point in Anglo-Russian relations, and ties have never fully recovered. They were marred further in more recent years by Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

British newspapers said Prime Minister David Cameron would chair a meeting of security chiefs before publication of the report to consider what, if any, action Britain should take.

gor Sutyagin, from the UK's Royal United Service Institute think-tank, told the Reuters news agency that he expected that Britain would consider the report itself as sending out a message to the Kremlin.

"Everything which blames or is seen as an accusation against Russia is perceived in a very personal way by Vladimir Putin," he said. "He will react in a very angry way which will not help to improve relations with the UK."

But some believe it may be in the interests of both Britain and Russia to limit the fallout from the Litvinenko killing.

The two countries are both involved in air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). British diplomats believe Russia is key to ending that country's civil war, while Russia, whose economy is hurt by low oil prices, would like to see an end to sanctions.

The Soviet-era KGB, the predecessor to FSB, did not hesitate to kill its enemies on foreign soil, sometimes with obscure poisons. Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov died after he was stabbed with a ricin-tipped umbrella on London's Waterloo Bridge in 1978.

Source
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 11:10am On Jan 21, 2016
They murdered the man in the most heartless way possible

Cc: lalasticala

2 Likes

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by cyprus000: 1:33pm On Jan 21, 2016
vedaxcool:
They murdered the man in the most heartless way possible

Cc: lalasticala
[size=13pt]
How does postulation amount to fact? Even the article says "probably", and that assertion was credited to a law court with competent jurisdiction.

It will be cowardice and outright lunacy, if putin or the allege perpetrator's have a hand in the said death, but that doesn't mean we should crusify them in the court of public opinion, when even a competent court can not come to that conclusion, due to infinitesimal evidence to butress that theory.

Even the video evidence from the millenium tea shop which was distorted in your article. doesn't correlate with your assertion and the judgement from the law court.

Since it was alleged that two men poisoned him. The video footage should have proof of that, but reverse is the case.

NOTE: I'm not ruling out that they are suspect, but we should apply rationality and objectivity when casting aspersion on sensitive issue such as this.
[/size]

11 Likes 3 Shares

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by ValerianSteel(m): 5:13pm On Jan 21, 2016
I wouldn't be the judge and jury of this,however from what I can deduce of this case so far,I can't say Russia eliminated Livitnenko,I also can't say they didn't but my bet is highly placed on Russia.

Why?

If we take a close examination at how Livitnenko died,we'll understand that such a skilled and mechanized killing was not by ordinary killers who just wanted to take him out.His death was at the hands of people who didn't just want him dead,they wanted him dead for good with no chances of recovering from the posion,

The events leading to the death of Livitnenko makes it clear that he was a threat to the Russian government and her policies,we can establish a motive behind is death.High chances his death was sanctioned by Moscow.

Let's for example imagine Edward Snowden is killed in Russia today the same manner as Livitnenko.I don't think our eyes would stray away from the Star sprangled banner.In fact all we'll be singing is 'CIA CIA CIA'.

These are just my self-entitled opinion undecided

3 Likes

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 6:45pm On Jan 21, 2016
cyprus000:

How does postulation amount to fact? Even the article says "probably", and that assertion was credited to a law court with competent jurisdiction.

It will be cowardice and outright lunacy, if putin or the allege perpetrator's have a hand in the said death, but that doesn't mean we should crusify them in the court of public opinion, when even a competent court can not come to that conclusion, due to infinitesimal evidence to butress that theory.

Even the video evidence from the millenium tea shop which was distorted in your article. doesn't correlate with your assertion and the judgement from the law court.

Since it was alleged that two men poisoned him. The video footage should have proof of that, but reverse is the case.

NOTE: I'm not ruling out that they are suspect, but we should apply rationality and objectivity when casting aspersion on sensitive issue such as this.
[/size]

There is no need shouting over the matter. Was Litvinenko murdered? Yes. Does the evidence points to putin and his minions yes, motive for the murder is quite high towards putin. This means there is high degree of probability that Putin had something to do with the murder. Will putin allow the 2 men fingered for the murder be extradited? No, in fact if a Muslim was to walk around with radioactive plutonium in UK he will be accused of teterrorism. The fact that those who murdered the victim walked around with nuclear material is very disturbing to say the leaat.

Life is funny isn't it? Some months back the idiiot putin was smearing Turkey's president and his family of being in bed with ISIS and his moro.nic minions and brain dead goons kept barking all over about it. Today Putin is PROBABLY a murderer being tagged such is nothing short of karma. The cards are begining to realign against him. He is now a victim of his insensitivity and inobjectivity that he uses to tar others.

2 Likes

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by Missy89(f): 6:59pm On Jan 21, 2016
Isnt it interesting that the main suspect is now a law maker in Russia's Duma

3 Likes

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 7:28pm On Jan 21, 2016
Alexander Litvinenko’s accusation that Vladimir Putin was a paedophile may have been one of the motives for the Russian government to order his assassination, a report into the former Russian spy's death has found.

Sir Robert Owen’s inquiry looked at the former FSB agent’s “highly personal attacks” on the Russian President, which culminated with an article on the Chechenpress website in July 2006, four months before he was poisoned.


Mr Litvinenko’s article, which was published as evidence in the report, started by recounting a meeting between Mr Putin and a boy “aged four or five” in a square near the Kremlin.
“Putin kneeled, lifted the boy’s T-shirt and kissed his stomach,” Mr Litvinenko wrote.
cry undecided lipsrsealed

Source

We all know putin is an egotistical man, this allegations must have sprained a nerve. Such allegations makes putin godfather persona a serious dent and you know what happens when putin feels vulnerable?

What's up with kissing a 4 years old belly?

1 Like

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by Nobody: 7:34pm On Jan 21, 2016
vedaxcool:


There is no need shouting over the matter. Was Litvinenko murdered? Yes. Does the evidence points to putin and his minions yes, motive for the murder is quite high towards putin. This means there is high degree of probability that Putin had something to do with the murder. Will putin allow the 2 men fingered for the murder be extradited? No, in fact if a Muslim was to walk around with radioactive plutonium in UK he will be accused of teterrorism. The fact that those who murdered the victim walked around with nuclear material is very disturbing to say the leaat.

Life is funny isn't it? Some months back the idiiot putin was smearing Turkey's president and his family of being in bed with ISIS and his moro.nic minions and brain dead goons kept barking all over about it. Today Putin is PROBABLY a murderer being tagged such is nothing short of karma. The cards are begining to realign against him. He is now a victim of his insensitivity and inobjectivity that he uses to tar others.

You really hate Putin. I think he is a vile man. He is just as bad as other western presidents.


But when it comes to Turkey, please do not try to pity them or support them. In other words, Turkey is just as bad if not worse than other western states in regards to the way they treat Muslims/Islam.

2 Likes

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by Missy89(f): 8:11pm On Jan 21, 2016
Vedaxcool.

I read an interesting piece on Putin that makes the suggestion that he his personally involved very believable.

Roman Tsepov who was one of his associates during his political tutelage under St. Petersburg Governor Anatoly Sobchak( when he was the go between for the governor and the Tambov mafia) was murdered the same way after he tried to intercede on behalf of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

3 Likes

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by NairaMinted: 12:35am On Jan 22, 2016
cyprus000:
[size=13pt]

NOTE: I'm not ruling out that they are suspect, but we should apply rationality and objectivity when casting aspersion on sensitive issue such as this.
[/size]

I share the same sentiments. The Russian government may have the motive but as far as no shred of evidence has been presented, it is all hearsay

3 Likes

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by OAUTemitayo: 1:12am On Jan 22, 2016
vedaxcool:


There is no need shouting over the matter. Was Litvinenko murdered? Yes. Does the evidence points to putin and his minions yes, motive for the murder is quite high towards putin. This means there is high degree of probability that Putin had something to do with the murder. Will putin allow the 2 men fingered for the murder be extradited? No, in fact if a Muslim was to walk around with radioactive plutonium in UK he will be accused of teterrorism. The fact that those who murdered the victim walked around with nuclear material is very disturbing to say the leaat.

Life is funny isn't it? Some months back the idiiot putin was smearing Turkey's president and his family of being in bed with ISIS and his moro.nic minions and brain dead goons kept barking all over about it. Today Putin is PROBABLY a murderer being tagged such is nothing short of karma. The cards are begining to realign against him. He is now a victim of his insensitivity and inobjectivity that he uses to tar others.
What evidence?
A video or your slave masters dubious assumptions as usual?

1 Like

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by OAUTemitayo: 1:16am On Jan 22, 2016
American az.z lickers showing their folly again.
Putin killed this, Putin killed that.
Even if F35 flying coffins can't fly anymore because of oxygen problem, na Putin coolAmerican az.z lickers showing their folly again.
Putin killed this, Putin killed that.
Even if F35 flying coffins can't fly anymore because of oxygen problem, na Putin

2 Likes

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by Tkester: 3:31am On Jan 22, 2016
author=OAUTemitayo post=42206270]American az.z lickers showing their folly again.
Putin killed this, Putin killed that.
Even if F35 flying coffins can't fly anymore because of oxygen problem, na Putin 8

Hahahahahaahahaha, badt guy.
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 8:13am On Jan 22, 2016
daretodiffer:


You really hate Putin. I think he is a vile man. He is just as bad as other western presidents.


But when it comes to Turkey, please do not try to pity them or support them. In other words, Turkey is just as bad if not worse than other western states in regards to the way they treat Muslims/Islam.

Well, that is be debatable, but my point is that just yesterday he was tarring others calling them sponsors of terrorism, today he is being tagged a probable murderer. In life one should be cautions on the levels he will descend to destroy others, God eventually serves us a hot plate of karma.
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 8:15am On Jan 22, 2016
Missy89:
Vedaxcool.

I read an interesting piece on Putin that makes the suggestion that he his personally involved very believable.

Roman Tsepov who was one of his associates during his political tutelage under St. Petersburg Governor Anatoly Sobchak( when he was the go between for the governor and the Tambov mafia) was murdered the same way after he tried to intercede on behalf of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.




Russia is the only country where mafiasos produce a president, please could we have a link? God sent Putin indeed grin
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 8:17am On Jan 22, 2016
OAUTemitayo:
[s]What evidence?
A video or your slave masters dubious assumptions as usual?[/s]

Unless Putin is your alleged father, I don't know why you sounding emotional almost on the edge.
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 8:18am On Jan 22, 2016
OAUTemitayo:
[s]American az.z lickers showing their folly again.
Putin killed this, Putin killed that.
Even if F35 flying coffins can't fly anymore because of oxygen problem, na Putin coolAmerican az.z lickers showing their folly again.
Putin killed this, Putin killed that.
Even if F35 flying coffins can't fly anymore because of oxygen problem, na Putin[/s]

Repeat after me, Putin is a Probable Murderer! I think it will soothe your nerves a little!
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by Nobody: 8:35am On Jan 22, 2016
vedaxcool:


Well, that is be debatable, but my point is that just yesterday he was tarring others calling them sponsors of terrorism, today he is being tagged a probable murderer. In life one should be cautions on the levels he will descend to destroy others, God eventually serves us a hot plate of karma.

I don't think it is debatable.


Putin was a soldier. Almost all soldiers are murderers. He would have killed many people before he became Russian's president. I would like to believe that if at all he is feeling bad, it would be because of the outcry not the poisoning. He is just as bad as other western president pobably more ruthless due to his former occupation. Regardless, they are all the bullies.

Personally, I don't see why Litcenko news is such a big deal. Litvenko should have known that it was highly likely he would die artificially than from a natural means.
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by OAUTemitayo: 8:39am On Jan 22, 2016
vedaxcool:


Unless Putin is your alleged father, I don't know why you sounding emotional almost on the edge.

You are the emotional one sir.
The millions you and murdered in Iraq are enough proof you can't be trusted

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by OAUTemitayo: 8:43am On Jan 22, 2016
vedaxcool:


Repeat after me, I Vedaxcook is a Probable Murderer for unjustly killing millions of Iraqis under the false pretence of WMD I think it will soothe your nerves a little!
T

1 Like

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 8:51am On Jan 22, 2016
daretodiffer:


I don't think it is debatable.


Putin was a soldier. Almost all soldiers are murderers. He would have killed many people before he became Russian's president. I would like to believe that if at all he is feeling bad, it would be because of the outcry not the poisoning. He is just as bad as other western president pobably more ruthless due to his former occupation. Regardless, they are all the bullies.

Personally, I don't see why Litcenko news is such a big deal. Litvenko should have known that it was highly likely he would die artificially than from a natural means.

Moving around with plutonium just to kill one individual is a big deal! And sorry you would not see me open thread whitewashing any western leader, In fact I have opened threads speaking about how stewpidity in the US foreign policy brought the ME to where it is today. So this thread is not about which is better, but about a President who happens to be accused of being a murderer.
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 8:52am On Jan 22, 2016
OAUTemitayo:
T
OAUTemitayo:
You are the emotional one sir.
The millions you and murdered in Iraq are enough proof you can't be trusted

You deserve no further response!
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by Nobody: 9:03am On Jan 22, 2016
vedaxcool:


Moving around with plutonium just to kill one individual is a big deal! And sorry you would not see me open thread whitewashing any western leader, In fact I have opened threads speaking about how stewpidity in the US foreign policy brought the ME to where it is today. So this thread is not about which is better, but about a President who happens to be accused of being a murderer.

It is just as much of a big deal as mining uranium without consideration for the indigenes.

I agree with you!
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 9:13am On Jan 22, 2016
daretodiffer:


It is just as much of a big deal as mining uranium without consideration for the indigenes.

I agree with you!

lol grin grin grin k
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by cyprus000: 11:42am On Jan 22, 2016
vedaxcool:


There is no need shouting over the matter. Was Litvinenko murdered? Yes. Does the evidence points to putin and his minions yes, motive for the murder is quite high towards putin. This means there is high degree of probability that Putin had something to do with the murder. Will putin allow the 2 men fingered for the murder be extradited? No, in fact if a Muslim was to walk around with radioactive plutonium in UK he will be accused of teterrorism. The fact that those who murdered the victim walked around with nuclear material is very disturbing to say the leaat.

Life is funny isn't it? Some months back the idiiot putin was smearing Turkey's president and his family of being in bed with ISIS and his moro.nic minions and brain dead goons kept barking all over about it. Today Putin is PROBABLY a murderer being tagged such is nothing short of karma. The cards are begining to realign against him. He is now a victim of his insensitivity and inobjectivity that he uses to tar others.
[size=13pt][b]
For the sake of civility and sanctity of foreign affair's section. I advice we tune down the brouhaha of name calling, in other to project our discern opine on this matter. It's paramount we don't desacred the ample of maturity we all enjoy here. I do that on romance section and I don't feel good about it, and I wouldn't want to be embroiled in such, here that I choose to find succour.

The topic: I wouldn't say I'm a pundit on foreign matter's, neither will I claim sage with innate ability of know-how of behind the scene on foreign mattar's. But right from age 12, when I signed up for the mantle of unraveling the grotesque behind the facade of sainthood and massianism of various world government(especially western countries). I have been inebriated and consummated with the reality of fact that; in the punditry of blame game, it is paramount that one knows the nitty gritty of the modus operandi of governmental bide to smear an adversery, or to legitimize an action.

They have been factual cases of government killing enemy of her enemy, in bide to get the world to rally on a common course of crusifying and cremating an allege perpretrator's who is an enemy they made a scapegoat.
Some even go has far as to bomb or do something abysmal to her populace in bide to feed on emotion, to legitimize a war plot or...

The US did that during the vietnam war, and so are lot of other's I don't have time to list.

So i see no exception of that playing out in this scenario, considering the fact that a video footage from the tea shop, which would have doused all rebuttal from the russian side. couldn't slough all doubt of russian involvement, When the shop cameras were "on" all through the moment the dead man spent in the tea shop. That should bring one with objectivity to ask "why is there no video evidence to butress the thoery" that the two men did poison him.

There's loophole somewhere and we should be careful on casting aspersion. Tho that doesn't take away the fact that the russian side are also suspect in the allege murder.

About the extradition; I think it's ignorance to expect russia to extradite her citizen to a country that has conflicting foreign policy to her's, and acute strained foreign relation.

Don't forget that UK is a NATO country. Russia may consider an extradition request yield as a slap to her national soveriegnty. Even switzerland refused to extradite sepp blatter to the US for fraud related charges.
[/b][/size]

8 Likes 2 Shares

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by cyprus000: 12:23pm On Jan 22, 2016
NairaMinted:


I share the same sentiments. The Russian government may have the motive but as far as no shred of evidence has been presented, it is all hearsay
[size=13pt]
That's it bro.

Your assertion is the overt truth. It is unapt to come to an absolute conclusion on this matter. Especially when the accuser's are trying tooth and nail to make people judge on a certain opinionative pattern.

If you spared little time to watch same report from mainstream media, without factual report from other politically independent sources.

You won't have iota reason to doubt that russia did murder him.
[/size]

3 Likes 1 Share

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by Barram: 12:33pm On Jan 22, 2016
daretodiffer:




But when it comes to Turkey, please do not try to pity them or support them. In other words, Turkey is just as bad if not worse than other western states
I agree with you on the embolded.
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by Barram: 12:37pm On Jan 22, 2016
Missy89:
Vedaxcool.

I read an interesting piece on Putin that makes the suggestion that he his personally involved very believable.

Roman Tsepov who was one of his associates during his political tutelage under St. Petersburg Governor Anatoly Sobchak( when he was the go between for the governor and the Tambov mafia) was murdered the same way after he tried to intercede on behalf of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.



how about you use fact to back your claim, instead of chunning speculation as fact.

2 Likes

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by OBAGADAFFI: 11:14pm On Jan 23, 2016
There is no issue here, governments worldwide always eliminate anyone from within their government trying to reveal important information.

Do you guys think Snowden will be alive if the US had closed-in on him at any point?

For ages, Russians, American, British and other countries had been using Covert means to eliminate threat's on foreign soil.

That the guy was eliminated with high doses of radiation substance show the Russians are involved.

1 Like

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by scully95: 9:26am On Jan 24, 2016
Probabaly!!!! // what type of stuP!d propaganda is that ? How can a newsmedia be using proabably or even a judge ?
Sometimes news like this is regarded as not newsworthy.. But this is one for sure's news worthy as long as it is against Putin..

Isn't this plain Propaganda and maximumstup!dity against Putin the greatest human being in the history of normal human being ?

After i spotted probably, i did not bother to evenr read the remaining crap.




[s]
vedaxcool:


Russian President Vladimir Putin "probably" approved the assassination of ex-KGB agent turned Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006, a public UK inquiry has found.


Sir Robert Owen said on Thursday it was likely the Russian leader signed off the killing of the former spy following a long-running feud.

His 300-page report said Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun were probably acting under the direction of Moscow's FSB intelligence service when they poisoned the 43-year-old with radioactive polonium 210 at London's Millennium Hotel in Mayfair.


Singling out then-FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev alongside Putin, he wrote: "Taking full account of all the evidence and analysis available to me I find that the FSB operation to kill Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr Patrushev and also by President Putin."

Litvinenko, a Russian spy turned dissident who lived in exile in Britain, died in November 2006 three weeks after drinking green tea laced with radioactive polonium-210 at London's plush Millennium Hotel.

From his deathbed, the 43-year-old told detectives that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directly ordered his killing.

The Kremlin dismissed that claim as ridiculous at the time and has always denied involvement.

British police had accused Kovtun and Lugovoi, the two Russians Litvinenko met for tea, of carrying out the killing. Both deny involvement, and Moscow refuses to extradite them.

Poisoned to death


The inquiry heard from 62 witnesses over six months of public hearings and - behind closed doors - saw secret intelligence evidence about Litvinenko and his links to UK spy agencies.

Litvinenko's widow Marina told the inquiry that her husband was a loyal intelligence agent who grew disillusioned with Russia's 1990s war in Chechnya and by what he saw as corruption within the FSB security service, the successor to the KGB.

He fled to Britain in 2000 and was granted asylum, becoming an outspoken critic of Putin and his allies.

When he became violently ill in November 2006, Litvinenko's doctors initially diagnosed him with a stomach infection.

But as his condition worsened, his white blood cell count plummeted, making him susceptible to infection.

"His skin had turned yellow, indicating liver dysfunction, and he was tested for the two most likely causes, hepatitis and Aids, but neither was the case," John Emsley wrote in Molecules of Murder, a crime book that includes a chapter on polonium poisoning. "Then his hair began to fall out."


Doctors eventually decided that Litvinenko was suffering from radiation poisoning, and further tests identified polonium as the culprit.

Litvinenko's body was so radioactive that the autopsy was conducted by medics in protective clothing and ventilation hoods. A lawyer for the police said that the killing may have exposed hundreds or even thousands of Londoners to radioactive contamination.

British detectives and scientists told the inquiry that a radioactive trail was left at hotels, restaurants and other sites across London visited by Kovtun and Lugovoi, a former agent for the FSB security service who is now a Russian politician and was decorated by Putin for services to the nation.

Tense relations

Litvinenko's death marked a post-Cold War low point in Anglo-Russian relations, and ties have never fully recovered. They were marred further in more recent years by Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

British newspapers said Prime Minister David Cameron would chair a meeting of security chiefs before publication of the report to consider what, if any, action Britain should take.

gor Sutyagin, from the UK's Royal United Service Institute think-tank, told the Reuters news agency that he expected that Britain would consider the report itself as sending out a message to the Kremlin.

"Everything which blames or is seen as an accusation against Russia is perceived in a very personal way by Vladimir Putin," he said. "He will react in a very angry way which will not help to improve relations with the UK."

But some believe it may be in the interests of both Britain and Russia to limit the fallout from the Litvinenko killing.

The two countries are both involved in air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). British diplomats believe Russia is key to ending that country's civil war, while Russia, whose economy is hurt by low oil prices, would like to see an end to sanctions.

The Soviet-era KGB, the predecessor to FSB, did not hesitate to kill its enemies on foreign soil, sometimes with obscure poisons. Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov died after he was stabbed with a ricin-tipped umbrella on London's Waterloo Bridge in 1978.

[url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/01/uk-ju[/s]dge-publish-report-killing-spy-litvinenko-160121071616529.html]Source[/url]

1 Like

Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by Amoto94(m): 11:46am On Jan 24, 2016
As long as there is no solid evidence to nail Putin down as the orchestrator of the hit on the ex-spy I will treat this as a mere speculation and wait as events unfold to declare my verdict.
Re: UK Judge: Putin Probably Approved Killing Of Ex-kgb Spy by vedaxcool(m): 12:17pm On Jan 24, 2016
cyprus000:
[b]
For the sake of civility and sanctity of foreign affair's section. I advice we tune down the brouhaha of name calling, in other to project our discern opine on this matter. It's paramount we don't desacred the ample of maturity we all enjoy here. I do that on romance section and I don't feel good about it, and I wouldn't want to be embroiled in such, here that I choose to find succour.

The topic: I wouldn't say I'm a pundit on foreign matter's, neither will I claim sage with innate ability of know-how of behind the scene on foreign mattar's. But right from age 12, when I signed up for the mantle of unraveling the grotesque behind the facade of sainthood and massianism of various world government(especially western countries). I have been inebriated and consummated with the reality of fact that; in the punditry of blame game, it is paramount that one knows the nitty gritty of the modus operandi of governmental bide to smear an adversery, or to legitimize an action.

They have been factual cases of government killing enemy of her enemy, in bide to get the world to rally on a common course of crusifying and cremating an allege perpretrator's who is an enemy they made a scapegoat.
Some even go has far as to bomb or do something abysmal to her populace in bide to feed on emotion, to legitimize a war plot or...

The US did that during the vietnam war, and so are lot of other's I don't have time to list.

So i see no exception of that playing out in this scenario, considering the fact that a video footage from the tea shop, which would have doused all rebuttal from the russian side. couldn't slough all doubt of russian involvement, When the shop cameras were "on" all through the moment the dead man spent in the tea shop. That should bring one with objectivity to ask "why is there no video evidence to butress the thoery" that the two men did poison him.

There's loophole somewhere and we should be careful on casting aspersion. Tho that doesn't take away the fact that the russian side are also suspect in the allege murder.

About the extradition; I think it's ignorance to expect russia to extradite her citizen to a country that has conflicting foreign policy to her's, and acute strained foreign relation.

Don't forget that UK is a NATO country. Russia may consider an extradition request yield as a slap to her national soveriegnty. Even switzerland refused to extradite sepp blatter to the US for fraud related charges.
[/b]

atleast you reduced the font size though a little bit grin grin. Anyway imaging scenarios in your bedroom cannot be taken any seriously than your first post on this matter. I am more inclined to believe putin is responsible as the motive, style and even history of animosity between the 2 men indicates a strong probability in addition we can't toss away the investigation simply because u dislike it.

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