Litvinenko report leading to icy relations

The findings of the Litvinenko report will “further taint” legal relations between the UK and the Russian Federation, a senior lawyer has warned.

An inquiry led by Sir Robert Owen into the murder of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 in the UK has found that the poisoning of Mr Litvinenko with polonium-210 was “probably” authorised by Russian intelligence services and approved by President Vladimir Putin. Two Russian men, Andrei Lugovi and Dmitry Kovtun, both deny carrying out the murder.

Robert Brown, partner at Corker Binning, said the UK “should expect a significant backlash from the Kremlin” over the inquiry report.

“It is already the case that extradition between the two countries is highly problematic. There is no prospect of the Russian Federation participating in any attempts that might be made to bring Kovtun and Lugovi to justice in the English courts.

“The Inquiry’s conclusions must heap the pressure on the Council of Europe to expel ​Russia​.​ Exploding a nuclear device, albeit a miniature one, in London is a gross violation of UK sovereignty, a breach of all atomic control treaties to which Russia subscribes as well as a major international crime.”