The last photo taken of poisoned spy Alexander Litvinenko alive (Litvinenko Inquiry/PA)
The murder of former spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 was “probably” approved by President Vladimir Putin, a public inquiry has concluded.
Mr Litvinenko died aged 43 in London in 2006, days after being poisoned with radioactive polonium-210, which he is believed to have drunk in a cup of tea.
Judge Robert Owen points to a number of reasons why the Russian state would target Litvinenko.
These include disclosures about FSB (Russian security agency) activity before he left Russia and his campaigning on sensitive issues in the UK.
His relationship with British intelligence and a “personal dimension” to the antagonism between Litvinenko and Vladimir Putin, were noted in the report.
The judge, Sir Robert Owen, heard from 62 witnesses in six months of hearings and was shown secret intelligence evidence about Mr Litvinenko and his links with British intelligence agencies.
The judge will decide whether to name anyone as having been responsible for Mr Litvinenko’s death and whether any elements in the Russian state were responsible.
