Flanked by Litvinenko's widow, Marina, Berezovsky said the foundation would seek compensation for all those contaminated by polonium-210, the radioactive material that killed Litvinenko, as well as campaigning for justice in the case.
"The U.K. government must uncover this crime or risk being seen as incapable of protecting the residents of this country," he said. "We are ready to do all we can to give the British government our helping hand."
Litvinenko was poisoned and died in London in November. In a letter read out by friends after his death, he blamed President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin denies the accusation, and the Prosecutor General's Office has opened its own investigation.
Britain's Crown Prosecution Service says it asked the police last month to provide more information.
Louise Christian, a human rights lawyer representing Marina Litvinenko, said the case could not be allowed to be brushed aside, especially if it turned out that people no longer in Britain were responsible.
Berezovsky said the $500,000 he provided to set up the foundation would not itself be used to compensate the victims of polonium contamination but to fund what is expected to be a lengthy battle to win them compensation.
Marina Litvinenko was tearful and spoke little at a news conference to unveil the foundation, but said in a statement: "I said in a letter to President Putin that I will not rest until Sasha's killers are brought to justice. The Litvinenko Justice Foundation will campaign vigorously for that. I also never want to see anyone else lose their husband to such a murder."
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