In London presented the report of the public inquiry into the case of former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko, who is believed to have been poisoned in the UK in November 2006. The British authorities claim that the perpetrators of the murder were citizens of the Russian Federation, in particular, Andrei Lugovoi (now a state Duma Deputy from the LDPR) and the businessman Dmitry Kovtun.
The reaction of the Russian side in the material.
“A pronounced political background”
Moscow has no reason to expect that the final report of the Chairman of the public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Alexander Litvinenko will be objective and impartial. This was stated by the official representative of the Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.
Sorry that a purely criminal case was politicized and marred the overall atmosphere of bilateral relations. It is obvious that the decision to suspend a coroner’s inquest and the beginning of “public hearings” had a pronounced political motive
Maria Zakharova
“The way to achieve their political interests”
The UK authorities use the “polonium scandal” for political purposes, said Andrei Lugovoi.
For London “polonium scandal” has become a convenient way to achieve their political interests, which it was clear to me from the beginning
Andrei Lugovoi
“The situation is still three years ago”
Member of the state Duma Committee for security and combating corruption, the former head of the FSB Nikolay Kovalev believes that the findings of the British court in the case of Litvinenko is unlikely to seriously affect relations of Moscow and London, and because they are so difficult to degrade.
“I think that no serious consequences will not occur for one simple reason: the situation is still three years ago. The relationship, unfortunately, leave much to be desired, and now to diminish them, in my opinion, there is no place”, – said Kovalev.
See also
Source: report on Litvinenko will not remain without consequences for bilateral relations
“This tenacity somehow in any way “punish” Russia, quite frankly, the English show a remarkable consistency”, – said the MP.
According to Kovaleva, now it is not necessary to speak about any normal interaction with UK law-enforcement agencies and special services. “Alas, at some stage, this cooperation was curtailed, including that I do not understand completely – and in the fight against international terrorism,” he said. The Deputy called it “a colossal mistake that led to the flourishing of including all known ISIL (the former name is forbidden in the Russian Federation the terrorist group “Islamic state”), to the flourishing of international terrorism, which does not distinguish between countries and continents”.
See also
Litvinenko’s case: the investigation
