Advertisement

  1. National

Vladimir Putin 'probably' approved Alexander Litvinenko killing in London

President Vladimir Putin "probably" approved the assassination of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London, a public inquiry has found.

Sir Robert Owen's report said Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun were probably acting under the direction of Moscow's FSB intelligence service when they poisoned him with radioactive polonium 210 at the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair in 2006.

The Home Secretary said the Russian ambassador will be summoned to the Foreign Office to be told about the Government’s anger about the case.

View all 22 updates ›

PM: Litvinenko report confirms death was 'state sponsored'

Prime Minister David Cameron has said the findings of a report into the death of former spy Alexander Litvinenko has confirmed the Russian government's involvement - a belief that the UK government has had for some time.

Speaking in Davos, Cameron said "what happened was absolutely appalling" and Britain would be "toughening" up its response to Russia after the inquiry implicated Vladimir Putin in the assassination.

What happened was absolutely appalling and this report confirms what we've always believed, and what the last Labour government believed at the time of this dreadful murder, which is it was state sponsored action.

– David Cameron

He added that the UK's relationship with Russia needed to continue in order to find a solution to the Syria crisis but said all future relations would be entered into with "clear eyes and a very cold heart".

  1. Read more
  2. 22 updates
Vladimir Putin 'probably' approved Alexander Litvinenko killing in London

More on this story