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Litvinenko Inquiry: Putin 'probably' approved the assassination of Russian spy - live
Public inquiry concludes that Kremlin ordered suspects Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun to kill ex-KGB spy a decade ago - latest updates

By Victoria Ward

11:26AM GMT 21 Jan 2016
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• Inquiry into death of ex-KGB spy finds that Putin 'probably' approved assassination
• Kremlin blamed for ordering two men to commit murder
• Litvenko said to have called Putin a paedophile
• UK not expected to punish Russia for fear of damaging relations
• Russians say inquiry was 'politically motivated' and 'biased'
• The slow and silent killer, but what exactly is Polonium 210?
• Everything we know about Alexander Litvinenko murder suspects
• Timeline of key events in poisoning of Russian dissident

Latest
11:55
Graphic shows extent of radioactive poisoning at London hotel bar

Diagram of Pine Bar at hotel where Litvinenko poisoned. Purple=high radiation, green=low, yellow medium pic.twitter.com/tA8c1XUjG9
— Gordon Rayner (@gordonrayner) January 21, 2016

11:52
Russia's ambassador summoned by Government

Theresa May said the government would summon Russia's ambassador to London to express its displeasure at Moscow's failure to cooperate with the investigation

11:49
Report shows t-shirt sent to Boris Berezovsky by Lugovoy in 2010

T-shirt sent to Boris Berezovsky by Lugovoy in 2010 (front) pic.twitter.com/iVOKOHpwrC
— Gordon Rayner (@gordonrayner) January 21, 2016

T-shirt sent to Berezovsky (back) pic.twitter.com/XJXikgCZi3
— Gordon Rayner (@gordonrayner) January 21, 2016

11:46
Litvinenko family barrister considers options

He says political sands shift and Mr Putin cannot "sit comfortably" that one day he will not face justice #Litvinenko
— Tom Whitehead (@WhiteheadTom) January 21, 2016

Emmerson says one option might now be for Marina to sue russia for compensation in UK courts #Litvinenko
— Tom Whitehead (@WhiteheadTom) January 21, 2016

11:39
Government freezes Lugovoy and Kovtun's assets

The Treasury has agreed to impose asset freezes against the two prime suspects in the Litvinenko murder, Mrs May told the House of Commons.

"Senior representations" were being made to the authorities in Moscow, while the Russian ambassador was being summoned to the Foreign Office.

11:35
Home Secretary says Russia's alleged involvement 'deeply disturbing'

Mrs May repeated claims made against Putin and said the Government took those findings extremely seriously

"The conclusion that the Russian state was probably involved in the murder of Mr Litvinenko is deeply disturbing," she said.

"This was a blatant and unacceptable breach of the most fundamental tenets of international law and civilised behaviour. But we have to accept that this doesn't come as a surprise."

She said Russia's continued faiure to ensure the two killers are brought to justice is "unacceptable" and that Interpol notices and European arrest warrants for the two men remain in place.

11:32
Theresa May is now giving a statement in the Commons

Home Secretary says that she hopes the report provides some clarity for Litvinenko's family and friends as she pays tribute to Mrs Litvinenko's "tireless" quest for the truth.

11:30
Putin 'must be held to account' for conspiracy to murder

The Litvinenko family barrister has said it is "inconceivable" that Putin will extradite suspects because "he sent them to commit murder".

But he said that in the light of the report's findings, it would be "crazy" for Mr Cameron not to act.

Emmerson says report findings mean Mr Putin is guilty of conspiracy to murder and should be held to account #Litvinenko
— Tom Whitehead (@WhiteheadTom) January 21, 2016

11:26
Who is Nikolai Patrushev?

Roland Oliphant reports:

Nikolai Patrushev, the career intelligence officer named as probably authorising the operation to murder Alexander Litvinenko, is a close advisor of Vladimir Putin who is said to have influenced some of Russia’s most serious foreign police decisions in recent times.

Both Mr Patrushev and Mr Putin are natives of Leningrad, now St Petersburg, and both men joined the KGB in 1975.

But while Mr Putin left the service as the Soviet Union crumbled in 1991, Mr Patrushev stayed on with the Federal Counter Intelligence Service, the main successor agency that would become the FSB.

He rose rapidly in the 1990s, until in 1999 Boris Yeltsin picked him to become director of the FSB - replacing Mr Putin, who had been summoned to serve as a deputy prime minister, and Mr Yeltsin’s eventual successor.

Mr Patrushev left the FSB in 2008, but remained a key power broker as secretary Russia’s security council.

A rather hawkish official, he is believed to be highly suspicious of the United States and to be part of a small circle of advisors who Mr Putin has turned to as the Kremlin has become more conservative. He is said to have been one of just three people who Vladimir Putin consulted before annexing Crimea in 2014.

Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev attends the 'IV Moscow Conference on International Security' in Moscow, Russia on April 16, 2015Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev attends the 'IV Moscow Conference on International Security' in Moscow, Russia Photo: Anadolu/Getty

11:25
Government 'considering what action to take'

David Cameron's official spokeswoman said Downing Street was taking the findings "extremely seriously" and that the Prime Minister found them "extremely disturbing".

The spokeswoman said: "The conclusion that the murder was authorised at the highest levels of the Russian state is extremely disturbing.

"It is not the way for any state, let alone a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to behave.

"Regrettably, these findings confirm what we and previous governments already believed."

The spokeswoman said measures taken against Russia in 2007 remained in place, adding: "In the light of the inquiry's findings, we are considering what further action we should take."
11:23
Mrs Litvineko speaks of pride in her son

Mrs Litvinenko said she is "so proud" of her son for speaking out after his father's murder.

Speaking at Matrix Chambers in central London, she said: "Anatoly was only 10 when his father died and it wasn't easy for him to come forward and start talking to the press.

"I'm so proud of him and his support was extraordinary."
11:20
Scotland Yard says Lugovoy and Kovtun 'remain wanted for murder'

The Metropolitan Police has issued a statement saying that its objective remains to put the two killers before a criminal court

It said: This was a cold and calculated murder that caused immense suffering to Alexander and his family and one that had no regard for the safety of the public in London.

This has been a unique and highly challenging criminal investigation by the MPS that has been ongoing since 2006. This investigation initially required the deployment of hundreds of officers amid serious concerns for public health. During this time, we have worked very closely with our partners, notably the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) and the Health Protection Agency (now Public Health England) who have provided invaluable assistance.

The investigation has been painstakingly conducted to identify and gather evidence to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. The use of Polonium 210 as a murder weapon has brought unprecedented challenges that have required innovative and groundbreaking forensic and investigative approaches.

We have fully supported the inquest and public inquiry and have provided extensive material gathered during our investigation to assist the chairman in his open hearings.

We are grateful to Sir Robert Owen for his comments in describing the work and efforts of the Metropolitan Police investigation team as exemplary in breadth and depth.

There are outstanding warrants for Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitri Kovtun who remain wanted for this murder. Our objective will always be to put them before a criminal court.

Commander Ball who has led the investigation into the murder of Mr Litvinenko said:

"It is important to remember that behind the significant global interest in this case, this remains an investigation into the murder of a man on the streets of London. Marina and Anatoly Litvinenko have shown immense courage and dignity since Alexander's death and with them, we remain committed to bringing those responsible to justice.

"This has been a painstaking and meticulous enquiry over a number of years that has brought unprecedented challenges requiring an innovative and groundbreaking investigation.

"I would like to pay tribute to the investigation team who have worked tirelessly to discover the circumstances surrounding Alexander Litvinenko's death and the identity of those responsible. Without their efforts, this murder and the use of Polonium 210 as a weapon would have gone undetected and the public left at greater risk.

"This remains an ongoing investigation and I am unable to comment on the evidence or say anything further at this time."
11:15
The report's key findings


11:14
Murder was 'act of terrorism'

The family's barrister, Ben Emmerson QC, has repeated his claim that the murder was a "mini act of nuclear terrorism on streets of London"

He said the family have handed the Government a list of individuals and organisations "directly related" to the murder that they say should now face sanctions

11:13
Theresa May has 'promised Litvinenko family action'

Mrs litvinenko said Home Secretary wrote to her last night promising action #Litvinenko
— Tom Whitehead (@WhiteheadTom) January 21, 2016

11:10
Family awaits government response to report

Asked if they would understand if the UK's response was limited because of international relations, Mr Litvinenko's son Anatoly says: "Time will tell, we will see how the Prime Minister and the Government responds."

Widow Marina litvinenko says it would be "unthinkable" for david Cameron not to act in face of the findings #Litvinenko
— Tom Whitehead (@WhiteheadTom) January 21, 2016

11:05
Marina Litvinenko is giving a press conference

She is currently thanking the friends and relatives who have given her so much support over the last few years

10:55
Further calls for new sanctions against Russia

The Henry Jackson Society, a counter-terrorism think tank, calls for new sanctions against Moscow.

Dr Andrew Foxall, director of the Russia Studies Centre, said: “The findings of Sir Robert Owen’s inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko come as no surprise. Ever since British security investigators realised that Mr Litvinenko had been poisoned with polonium-210 – a rare radioactive isotope made only at closed nuclear facilities controlled by Russia – during a meeting with Russian intelligence officers at a London hotel, the finger of suspicion has pointed towards Vladimir Putin.

"David Cameron will come under pressure to impose new sanctions against Russia, and rightfully so. Although such sanctions will further strain relations between London and Moscow, it is unthinkable that the Prime Minister would do anything else. Britain cannot allow Mr Putin and his cronies to escape censure over their involvement in Mr Litvinenko’s murder.”
10:52
More from Russia

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, said the government has not yet had time to study the report in detail, but that it was clearly "politicised."

"I would like to note that the Russian position on this question remains unchanged and is well known. We regret that a purely criminal case was politicised and marred the general atmosphere of bilateral relations.

"The decision to suspend the inquest and the begin a 'public inquiry' was obviously politically motivated. The reason is obvious - the process, despite its name, was not transparent for Russia or for the public, since certain materials were considered in a closed court under the pretext of "secrecy"," she said.

"With this in mind, there was no reason to expect the final report produced by this politically charged and highly opaque process, guided by a "correct" result that had been decided in advance, would suddenly turn out to be objective and impartial."
10:45
Mr Litvinenko given two fatal doses of Polonium 210

Sir Robert Owen says "there can be no doubt" that Mr Litvinenko was poisoned by Mr Lugovoy or Mr Kovtun.

He says that the former KGB spy was given "two fatal intakes of Polonium 210". The second, much larger dose, was ingested on November 1, the sixth anniversary of Mr Litvinenko's arrival in the UK seeking asylum, at a London hotel.

The first had occured some 14 days earlier.

"I am sure that Mr Lugovoy or Mr Kovtun placed the Polonium 210 into the teapot with the intention of poisoning Mr Litvinenko," Sir Robert said.

"I am also sure that the two men made the earlier attempt to poison Mr Litvinenko at a meeting on October 16."

The teapot used to poison Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko and where traces of polonium 210 were discoveredThe teapot used to poison Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko and where traces of polonium 210 were discovered Photo: PA
10:40
Russia expected to react shortly. Report 'could undo' recent diplomatic efforts

Roland Oliphant has more from Moscow:

The Kremlin has said it will not be commenting on the results of this report, but we have been told to expect a statement from the Russian foreign ministry shortly.

That should give us some idea of how Russia will react - and we can be sure that there will be a reaction. For a British investigation to formally accuse Vladimir Putin of involvement in murder is, of course, a fairly explosive diplomatic development.

Britain's relationship with Russia had barely recovered since it was first plunged into crisis following Mr Litvinenko's murder in 2006.

In 2007, Britain made three requests, asking Russia to extradite Mr Lugovoi, account for the involvement of the Russian state, and provide assurances that it would not happen again.

Russia said its constitution forbids extradition of its citizens to face trial abroad, and (British diplomats say) did not answer the other two requests either.

In the ensuing fallout, both sides expelled diplomats and intelligence cooperation was slashed to pretty much zero. To this day, Britain and Russian intelligence agencies barely speak to each other and share intelligence in exceptional circumstances.

David Cameron's visit to Moscow in 2011 was in part a calculated diplomatic effort to move on from the fallout of the Litvinenko case. Today's findings could undo that effort.
10:35
Inquiry chairman Sir Robert Owen gives statement

Sir Robert says the question of possible Russian state responsibility was one of the most important issues rising from Mr Litvineko's death.

Says relevant government detail could not be taken into account at the inquest due to sensitivity, which is why he requested an inquiry, where the information could be heard in closed session.

His full report is here
10:30
Five reasons why Russia targeted Mr Litvinenko

Tom WhiteheadTom Whitehead The report discussed five possible motives for Russia wanting Mr Litvinenko dead, Tom Whitehead reports.

It included a belief he had betrayed the FSB through public disclosures about its work including a plot to murder dissident Boris Berezovsky and books linking it to an apartment bombing and collusion with organised crime.

The FSB also had “information that Mr Litvinenko was working for British intelligence”.

He was a prominent associate of leading opponents of Mr Putin and his regime, including Mr Berezovsky and Akhmed Zakayev.

His claims about the FSB were “areas of particular sensitivity to the Putin administration”.

And finally, there was “undoubtedly a personal dimension to the antagonism between Mr Litvinenko on the one hand and President Putin on the other….culminating in the allegation of paedophilia in July 2006.”
10:24
Russia accuses the British government of 'politicising' the case

The Russian Foreign Ministry says the inquiry was 'politically motivated' and lacked transparency.

It said the way the case was handled has clouded bilateral relations with the UK.

It also branded the inquiry 'biased' and 'opaque'
10:20
Lib Dems back widow's call for travel ban

The Liberal Democrats have called for travel bans and the freezing of assets for those involved in the death of Mr Litvinenko.

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said: "A UK citizen was killed on the streets of London with polonium. It was an attack on the heart of Britain, our values and our society.

"I call for EU travel bans, asset freezes and co-ordinated action to deal with those who committed this evil assassination. I have called for a new Magnitsky Law to make sure that these people are held to account for what they did.

"These assassins trampled over British sovereignty and we cannot let this go unanswered."
10:20
Marina Litvinenko demands economic sanctions

Mr Litvinenko's wife Marina has called on Prime Minister David Cameron to impose "targeted economic sanctions and travel bans" against individuals including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a statement outside the High Court, Mrs Litvinenko also said she wanted to see the immediate expulsion of all Russian intelligence operatives based at the London embassy.

She said: "I'm, of course, very pleased that the words my husband spoke on his deathbed when he accused Mr Putin of his murder have been proved true in an English court with the high standards of independency (sic) and fairness.

"But now it is time for David Cameron. I'm calling immediately for expulsion from the UK of all Russian intelligence operatives ... based at the London embassy.

"I'm also calling for the position of targeted economic sanctions and travel bans against named individuals including Mr (former FSB chief Nikolai) Patrushev and Mr Putin."
10:17
Close friend says report represents "ultimate justice"

Alex Goldfarb has called on the UK Government to go to the United Nations Security Council to demand the extradition of the two prime suspects in the poisoning of Mr Litvinenko with radioactive polonium in 2006.

The Russian emigre said he backed Sir Robert Owen's key finding that Russian President Vladimir Putin was probably behind the killing.

Mr Goldfarb told BBC2's Victoria Derbyshire programme: "I think it is a very proper and fair finding, because nobody in the Russian hierarchy would dare to order such a murder without Mr Putin's approval.

"The finding is an ultimate justice. As you remember, on his death-bed Sasha Litvinenko named Mr Putin as the person responsible for this poisoning and now it has become a legally established fact."

Mr Goldfarb called on the UK Government to take action to secure the extradition Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun, which Russia has resisted since they were first named as suspects by the British authorities in 2007.

"I think now with the legal decision to that effect, the British Government should go to the Security Council and demand that Russia extradite the perpetrators, provide all the information and also pay compensation to the victims," he said.

"This was the approach taken after the Lockerbie bombings with regard to Muammar Gaddafi and I think it is absolutely appropriate in this case."
10:16
Suspects 'had no personal motivation'

Sir Robert said in a statement: "There is no evidence to suggest that either Mr Lugovoy or Mr Kovtun had any personal reason to kill Mr Litvinenko. All the evidence points in one direction, namely that when they killed Mr Litvinenko they were acting on behalf of someone else."

He said that he was "not currently minded" to reopen the inquest into Mr Litvinenko's death because his inquiry had addressed all the matters that a coroner would have had to look into.

However he said that if any of the participants wanted to apply for the inquest to be reopened, they should do so within the next 28 days.
10:14
Lugovoi brands report 'pathetic'

Lugovoi, who is now an MP with a nationalist political party, called the findings "absurd" and politically motivated.

"The accusations against me are absurd. This is just we expected, so there's no sensation in it! The results of the inquiry announced today are the latest confirmation of London's anti-Russian position and the narrow-mindedness and reluctance of the British to establish the real cause of Litvinenko's death," he told Interfax.

"The events in 2014 in Ukraine, the anti-Russian hysteria that followed and the coincidental inquiry into the Litvinenko case, despite previously classified information, personally looks to me like a pathetic attempt by London to use a "skeleton in the closet" to further their own political ambitions. I hope this "polonium case" will overturn the myth of impartial British justice," he added.
10:11
Report highlights 'personal' animosity between Mr Litvinenko and Putin over paedophilia claims

Gordon Rayner The report said there was a "personal dimension to the antagonism" between Litvinenko and Putin which "culminated in [an] allegation of paedophilia in 2006," Gordon Rayner reports.

He claimed Putin had destroyed videotapes which showed him "making sex with some underage boys".

Mr Litvinenko published an article on the Chechenpress website in July 2006, months before his death, claiming that when Mr Putin stopped and chatted to tourists in the Kremlin he spoke to a four or five year old boy called Nikita and then "kneeled, lifted the boy's T-shirt and kissed his stomach".

He went on: "The world public is shocked. Nobody can understand why the Russian president did such a strange thing as kissing the stomach of an unfamiliar small boy.

"The explanation may be found if we look carefully at the so-called 'blank spots' in Putin's biography."

He said that after graduating from the KGB college he was not accepted into the foreign intelligence service because "shortly before his graduation, his bosses learned that Putin was a pedophile [sic]."

Instead of making a fuss, officials at the Andropov Institute, the KGB college, simply decided to avoid sending him abroad.

"Many years later, when Putin became the FSB director and was preparing for the presidency, he began to seek and destroy any compromising materials collected against him by the secret services over earlier years...among other things, Putin found videotapes in the FSB Internal Security directorate, which showed him making sex with some underage boys."

Sir Robert Owen said the personal attacks on Putin were among the "powerful motives" for the murder.
10:06
Mr Litvineko 'targeted after repeated personal attacks on Putin'

The Telegraph's security correspondent Tom Whitehead writes: The report raised a series of possible reasons why Mr Putin and the Russian state would want to kill Mr Litvinenko.

It included the fact that he had “repeatedly targeted President Putin himself with highly personal public criticism”, including accusing him of being a paedophile shortly before his death.

Other “powerful motives” included a belief Mr Litvinenko had, by his actions both before and after leaving Russia, “betrayed the FSB, was working for British intelligence and was an associate of leading opponents of the Putin regime.
10:04
Lugovoi brands allegations 'absurd'

Interfax, a Russian news agency, reports: Lugovoi says charges he poisoned Litvinenko 'absurd'
10:00
Inquiry chairman says killers were not aware exactly what Polonium 210 was

Sir Robert Owen concluded that the two assassins knew they were going to kill Litvinenko, but they did not know exactly what they were using.

He said: "I am sure that Mr Lugovoy and Mr Kovtun knew that they were using a deadly poison, and that they intended to kill Mr Litvinenko. I do not, however, believe that they knew precisely what the chemical that they were handling was, or the nature of all its properties."
10:00
Report includes claims that Putin destroyed videos of himself with young boys

Inquiry even republishes the allegations that Putin had destroyed videos of himself with young boys pic.twitter.com/PKlkq14gCa
— Nico Hines (@NicoHines) January 21, 2016

09:55
Marina Litvinenko says the words her husband spoke on his death bed 'have been proved true'

A statement made by Mr Litvinenko before he died was read out by his friend Alex Goldfarb outside University College Hospital, London, on November 24, 2006

09:51
Assassination plot 'began two years before death'

In a new revelation, Sir Robert suggested the plan to murder Mr Litvinenko may have started two years previous when Mr Lugovoy met with him in London in October 2004.

Despite differences in versions of how the meeting came about, Sir Robert said he was satisfied that Lugovoy had instigated it.

“I would add that regard it as entirely possibly that Mr Lugovoy was already at that stage involved in a plan to target Mr Litvinenko, perhaps with a view to killing him.”
09:50
Widow welcomes report findings

Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina said outside the High Court she was "very pleased that the words my husband spoke on his deathbed when he accused Mr Putin have been proved by an English court."

Marina Litvinenko (L), widow of Russian former spy Alexander Litvinenko, and her son Anatoly Litvinenko, arrive at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London on Janurary 21, 2016Marina Litvinenko (L), widow of Russian former spy Alexander Litvinenko, and her son Anatoly Litvinenko, arrive at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London Photo: AFP/Getty

09:48
'Poison could not have been ingested by accident'

Sir Robert ruled out that Mr Litvinenko ingested the polonium by accident or in order to commit suicide.

“I am sure, rather, that he was deliberately poisoned by other,” he said.

“I am sure that Mr Lugovoy and Mr Kovtun placed the polonium 210 in the teapot at the Pine Bar (in London’s Millennium hotel) on 1 November 2006. I am also sure that they did this with the intention of poisoning Mr Litvinenko.”

09:45
The reasons why Putin 'probably' authorised the murder of Litvinenko

Gordon Rayner, the Telegraph's chief reporter, reports: Russian dissident Alex Goldfarb gave a list of four reasons to the Inquiry, which can be summarised as follows:

Such high-profile measures are usually authorised “at the highest political level”.
Polonium is produced under the control of the Russian atomic energy ministry and to transfer it to the FSB would require inter-agency authority. “The only authority that could authorise such transfer is the presidential administration.”
“Nobody in the Russian hierarchy would initiate such an operation without covering their back” because “otherwise it would be an unauthorised operation specifically involving an issue which is very close to Mr Putin”.
Putin is known for his attention to detail. When Crimea was annexed he told a TV interviewer that “the reason why it worked so smoothly was because I personally micromanaged the whole operation”. He does not trust others to do a good job.

09:43
Reaction from Moscow

The Telegraph's Moscow correspondent, Roland Oliphant, reports: The murder of Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 plunged Britain’s relationship with Russia into what some diplomats have described as a “deep freeze,” and another diplomatic cold snap may follow if today’s report implicates the Kremlin or high ranking Russian officials.

Russian officials are keeping their cards close to their chests, however.

“It depends on the content of the report,” Sergei Naryshkin, the speaker of the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, said when reporters asked him how relations with Britain may be affected this morning.

The Kremlin has declined to comment on the report at all, although Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, admitted yesterday that officials will be reading it.

“To be frank, it is not currently something that interests us,” he told Russian reporters. “Of course, after the material is published we will review it,” he added.

09:42
Claims that Mr Litvinenko called Putin a paedophile

Litvinenko was killed, in part for calling Putin a paedophile, Inquiry into his death finds. Putin "probably" ordered the hit himself.
— Nico Hines (@NicoHines) January 21, 2016

09:40
Report's conclusion

The report concluded: “When Mr Lugovoy poisoned Mr Litvinenko it is probable that he did so under the direction of the FSB.

“I would add that I regard that as a strong possibility. I have found that Mr Kovtun also tok part in the poisoning.

“I conclude therefore that he was also acting under FSB direction, possibly indirectly through Mr Lugovoy but probably to his knowledge.

“The FSB operation to kill Mr Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr Patrushev and also by President Putin.”
09:39
Lugovoy and Kovtun ?acting on behalf of others?.

The 328-page report said Lugovoy and Kovtun were responsible for poisoning Mr Litvinenko with radioactive Polonium 210 during a meeting in London in November 2006 –but they were “acting on behalf of others”.

Mr Lugovoy may also have first started the plan to murder Mr Litvinenko as early as 2004, Sir Robert said.
09:37
Murder was carried out by Lugovoy and Kovtun, report finds

Litvinenko murder was carried out by Lugovoy and Kovtun on the orders of the FSB and "the FSB operation to kill Mr Litvinenko was probably approved by [FSB head] Nikolai Patrushev and also by President Putin"
09:35
Putin and former head of the Russian secret service blamed

Chairman Sir Robert Owen said based on all the “evidence and analysis” before him the operation to poison Mr Litvinenko in London 2006 was “probably approved” by Mr Putin and Nikolai Patrushev, the then head of the Russian secret service, FSB.
09:35
Report points finger directly at Putin

President Vladimir Putin "probably" approved the assassination of Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006, a public inquiry has found.
09:10
Who are Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun?




09:00
CCTV footage of suspected killers at London hotel

08:55
Litvinenko's friend joins calls for sanctions to be imposed on Russia

Alexander Goldfarb, who was a friend of Mr Litvinenko and is head of the Litvinenko Justice Foundation, said Britain should impose sanctions on Russia over the killing.

He told radio 4's Today programme: "I think the British Government should go to the security council and demand a resolution to censure Russia, to have Russia accept responsibility and pay compensation to the victims. I want the British Government to announce sanctions, particularly sanctions against the Russian atomic enterprises who willingly provided the murder weapon."

Mr Goldfarb dismissed suggestions that diplomatic pressures meant Britain could not take tough action against Russia.

"Appeasing this kind of regime only invites more and more aggression," he said.

08:50
Results of report to be released just after 9.30am

We are expecting to publish the report's findings in around 40 minutes.

Journalists have been locked in a room, studying the report since 8am. They will be allowed to reveal its findings at 9.35am.

Shortly after that, statements will be made by inquiry chairman Sir Robert Owen and Home Secretary Theresa May before Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina Litvinenko and son Anatoly, who was only 10 when his father died, hold a press conference.

08:42
How five of Putin's critics died

08:26
Tearing up diplomatic relations 'not in UK interest'

Tony Brenton, who was British ambassador to Russia at the time of the killing, said it was "unlikely" any proof about who authorised the murder had turned up.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Our reaction was that it was likely to have been authorised at quite a high level in the Russian system because they wouldn't do something so potentially damaging for a major power without high authorisation.

"But at my time there was no slam-dunk proof and I think it's quite unlikely any real evidence has turned up as to where the authorisation has come from."

Mr Brenton said that while the UK must react "strongly" to the murder, "tearing up" diplomatic relations with Russia was "not in Britain's interests".

"We have quite important other fish to fry with the Russians," he added. "They are very important in carrying the Iran de-nuclearisation through, they are absolutely crucial in sorting out the mess in Syria."
08:15
What is Polonium 210?

Alexander Litvinenko signed his death sentence when he unwittingly drank a substance that had been deposited in a cup of green tea.

His case is the only recorded example of deliberate polonium poisoning anywhere in the world. But what exactly is Polonium 210?

It was discovered by Marie Curie and her husband Pierre, who won the Nobel Prize, at the end of the 19th century, and was named after her home country of Poland and radium.

A 3D graphic showing polonium contamination of the table and chair Images at the public inquiry show the traces of polonium 210 in the hotel where Mr Litvinenko was poisoned

Polonium is one of the six metalloids on the periodic table, which also include the more familiar poisons arsenic and antimony.

But polonium 210 is a far more lethal substance.

Tom Whitehead explains more here.
08:00
What we learnt from the Litvinenko Inquiry

It was just over a year ago that Sir Robert Owen was tasked with setting up an inquiry to identify where responsibility for Mr Litvinenko's death lies.

The six-month inquiry, nearly a decade after the ex-spy's fatal poisoning, was wide-ranging. Here's a quick reminder of the key points we learnt:


07:45
Video: Everything you need to know in 90 seconds

07:30
Kremlin expected to be accused of ordering death

A retired High Court judge will this morning deliver his findings on the 2006 murder of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, 43, who died after ingesting radioative Polonium 210, reports The Telegraph's Security Editor Tom Whitehead.

Sir Robert Owen’s report, which follows a six-month public inquiry, is expected to accuse the Kremlin of ordering the assassination of Mr Litvinenko in London and using prime suspects Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun to carry it out.

However, the UK will not impose any economic sanctions on President Vladimir Putin’s regime, the Telegraph understands, despite the Kremlin already dismissing the inquiry findings before they have been published.

Senior Foreign Office diplomats have lobbied David Cameron, the Prime Minister, not to take further action because Anglo-Russian relations are vital in the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil) and the removal of Syrian president Bashar al Assad.

Former Russian security agent Alexander Litvinenko pictured before his death at University College Hospital in central London

The Government will renew calls for Lugovoy and Kovtun to be extradited to face trial here but Mr Putin has always resisted that request.

Mr Litvinenko, a Russian dissident and fierce critic of Mr Putin, was given a lethal dose of Polonium-210 in a cup of green tea during a meeting at the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair in November 2006. It took him three weeks to die.

He was at the hotel to meet Lugovoy and Kovtun. They had allegedly tried to poison him on a previous occasion, two weeks earlier, but it only made him sick.

Businessman Dmitry Kovtun, a suspect in the murder of former Russian intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko, looks on during a press conference in Moscow on April 8, 2015 Dmitry Kovtun Photo: AFP/Getty

He had been working with MI6 and other agencies during his time in the UK and had previously accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being linked to organised crime.

Lugovoy, a former KGB bodyguard, and former soldier Kovtun were named as the main suspects by the Crown Prosecution Service and they left a trail of contamination across London like “the breadcrumbs left by Hansel and Gretel”.

Andrey Lugovoy

Contamination readings in Lugovoy’s hotel room “off the scale”.

Many thousands of members of the public, including British residents and visitors from overseas, might have been at risk from radioactivity.

The case was the only recorded example of deliberate polonium poisoning anywhere in the world.

The last ever picture taken of Alexander Litvienko while he was aliveThe last ever picture taken of Alexander Litvienko while he was alive Photo: LITVINENKO INQUIRY

A lawyer for the Litvinenko family described the murder as an “act of nuclear terrorism” on the streets of London.

The public inquiry replaced an inquest so that the judge could fully investigate claims that the Kremlin had ordered the killing.

Marina Litvinenko arrives with her son Anatoly at the High Court in central London Marina Litvinenko and her son Anatoly arriving for one of the public inquiry hearings Photo: Andrew Winning/Reuters

The polonium used to kill Mr Litvinenko would have cost “tens of millions of dollars” if bought on the open commercial market. It is only normally manufactured in nuclear plants.

But ahead of the report even being published, a Kremlin source said any suggestion that the Russian government was involved in Mr Litvinenko's death was “false”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused to extradite the suspects Photo: TASS

Mr Litvinenko’s widow, Marina, who has led a decade-long campaign for justice, has called on the UK to impose sanctions on Russia and ban officials implicated from travelling here.

Stay with us for the latest updates and all the reaction throughout the day.

Litvinyenko poisoning: how events unfolded


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