Alexander Litvinenko
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Alexander Valterovich Litvinenko (December 4, 1962[1] or August 30, 1962[2] – November 23, 2006) was a lieutenant-colonel in the Russian Security Service and later a Russian dissident and writer.
Litvinenko worked for the KGB and the FSB through the 1980s and 1990s. Later, he accused his bosses of planning to assassinate Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky. As a result, he was arrested, but was released by Russian authorities. Afterwards, he fled to the United Kingdom and was given British citizenship.
While he was in Russia, Litvinenko tried to publish a book in which he said President Vladimir Putin rose to power with help of the FSB. He said the FSB tried to cover this up by frightening Russians by bombing apartment buildings in Moscow. He said the FSB then pinned the blame on terrorists operating from Chechnya.
On November 1, 2006, Litvinenko suddenly became sick and was hospitalized. He died three weeks later, as a result of poisoining by polonium-210. The news of his death spread around the world, and many felt the poisoning was done by the Russian government.[3] Vladimir Putin and Kremlin spokesmen have repeatedly denied this, and many new leads have been taken upon during the case.[4] Although there are some suspects and theories in the murder, no official arrest has been made yet.
[change] See also
[change] References
- ↑ Alexander Litvinenko birth date. The Times (2006-11-25).
- ↑ Alexander Litvinenko birth date. The Daily Telegraph (2006-11-25).
- ↑ Poisoned by radiation. The Sun (21 November 2006).
- ↑ Laville, Sandra (November 21 2006). Clinging to life and under armed guard, the spy the Kremlin denies poisoning. The Guardian.
