British Police in Moscow to Investigate Russian Spy Death

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said relations between his country and Britain were unaffected by the British police investigation into the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. His comments came as British police officers in Moscow conducted interviews with key witnesses to the bizarre poisoning case that has been going on for weeks.

British police officials say the investigation must be treated as a murder case given the circumstances of the death of Alexander Litvinenko, who died on November 23rd.

Several police investigators are now in Moscow where they have talked with Dmitry Kovtun, one of three Russians who met Litvinenko on November 1st in London, the day he began to feel ill. No details have emerged from the testimony given by Kovtun.

Litvinenko died a slow agonizing death after he was poisoned with polonium-210, a deadly radioactive substance that police suggest is very difficult to obtain. The 43-year-old was a former member of Russia’s intelligence services who fled into exile in London from where he became a fierce critic of the Kremlin.

The British police are also due to talk with Kovtun’s colleague Andrei Lugovoy, who has hinted he may have more information to disclose about the case.

Lugovoy has long denied any involvement in any plot to kill Litvinenko. However he is considered a key witness because traces of radiation have been found on two planes in which he flew to and from London.

Minute traces have also been found at the British embassy in Moscow where Lugovoy came to give testimony last month after the inquiry first began. It was reported that he was in hospital, possibly for more tests to see if he might also test positive for radiation.

Lugovoy has given various interviews since the poisoning case broke, always to deny he had any interest in killing Litvinenko, only to discuss “business matters”.

Lugovoy is a former Russian intelligence and one-time presidential bodyguard who now runs a drinks company in Moscow.

Another key witness who also met Litvinenko in London, Italian Mario Scaramella, did test positive with traces of polonium-210, although of a low level.

The use of polonium has led investigators to suspect possible high-level Russian involvement, if not by the Kremlin then what police call “rogue elements” from within the Russian intelligence agencies.

The Kremlin has firmly denied any involvement in the poisoning of Litvenenko, although he issued a statement from his deathbed accusing President Vladimir Putin of ordering his killing.

The British police are working under restrictions announced by Russia’s Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika in Moscow. They are not allowed to question witnesses directly, but must work through Russian police officers. The British will also not be able to arrest anyone they suspect of involvement in the murder, or take them back to London for trial.

Chaika says this would be against Russian law, and there is no extradition treaty between Russia and Great Britain.

British officials have objected to the restrictions as being contrary to international standards, but have decided to proceed with their work as best they can.

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