The British commission investigating the death of Alexander Litvinenko announced on Thursday, January 21, that the assassination of this former Russian security officer was likely carried out with the approval of Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia. Litvinenko, a 43-year-old critic of Putin's regime, sought asylum in Britain in 2000 but was poisoned and killed six years later due to radioactive polonium-210 poisoning. At that time, London raised the issue of Moscow's involvement in Litvinenko's murder, which Russia vehemently denied. However, the British commission led by Chief Justice Robert Owen reached a conclusion contrary to the statements of Russian officials. A Reuters report on the commission's findings states that Andrei Lugovoy, a former KGB officer, along with Dmitry Kovtun, carried out the assassination operation under the direction of the FSB, the Russian Federal Security Service. In a statement, Justice Owen declared: 'Considering all the evidence and documents available, I have concluded that the FSB likely carried out the assassination of Mr. Litvinenko with the approval of Mr. Patrushev (former head of the FSB) and also President Putin.' Justice Owen further added: 'I am convinced that overall, the Putin government, including the President himself and the FSB, had motives to act against Mr. Litvinenko, including his assassination.' Litvinenko himself, while on his deathbed, held Putin responsible for the incident and emphasized that the Russian President ordered his murder. Although Moscow has always denied this accusation, the incident has led to a deterioration in relations between the two countries, to the extent that in the summer of 2007, Britain expelled four Russian diplomats, which prompted a reciprocal reaction from Moscow. Russia has so far refused to extradite Andrei Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun to Britain. In this context, the former Russian intelligence officer was likely 'poisoned twice,' and Alexander Litvinenko's lawyer claims he was killed for exposing corruption in Putin's 'mafia government.'
British Commission: Litvinenko's Murder Likely Approved by Putin
A British commission has concluded that the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko was likely approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Litvinenko, a former KGB officer and critic of Putin, was poisoned in London in 2006, leading to a significant diplomatic rift between the UK and Russia. This finding reinforces allegations of state-sponsored assassination tactics employed by the Russian government.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
A British commission concluded that Alexander Litvinenko's assassination was likely approved by Vladimir Putin. This finding points to the involvement of the Russian state in the murder of a prominent critic.
- Litvinenko was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 in London in 2006.
- The British commission's findings contradict Russia's denials of involvement in the assassination.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Alexander Litvinenko was a former Russian intelligence officer who became a vocal critic of Putin's regime after seeking asylum in the UK. His assassination raised alarms about the lengths to which the Russian government might go to silence dissent.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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