Support The Moscow Times!

Britain Announces Well-Timed Litvinenko Inquiry in Open Snub to Russia

Former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko.

Britain is planning to hold a public inquiry into the death of former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko while in exile in Britain, news agencies reported Tuesday.

Home Secretary Theresa May confirmed that the public inquiry will be held, Reuters reported. The inquiry will open the way for an investigation of whether the Russian government was behind the murder.

"It is more than seven years since Mr. Litvinenko's death, and I very much hope that this inquiry will be of some comfort to his widow," May said in a statement.

An inquest was already held into Litvinenko's death by a coroner in London in 2011, but the British government submitted a request for possible involvement of the Russian government and British intelligence officials to be excluded, citing a threat to national security.

The reversal of the decision comes amid a tense situation between Russia and Britain over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Following the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in eastern Ukraine, British Prime Minister David Cameron threatened imposing severe sanctions on Russia if it fails to cooperate in the investigation of the crash.

Litvinenko died under murky circumstances in London in 2006 after drinking tea poisoned with rare radioactive isotope polonium-210.

See also:

Russia Targets 'Traitorous' Dual Citizenship Holders

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more