LONDON — Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB officer who had denounced corruption in the FSB, the successor to the KGB, is thought to have been murdered in London last November. His death was particularly horrific as he died after prolonged suffering as a result of ingesting liquid polonium, a dangerous radioactive substance that can only be obtained from government nuclear laboratories.
The British police traced the substance to a number of locations in London and to civil aircraft that had flown from Moscow. At one London location, Litvinenko met Andrei Lugovoy, another former KGB agent, and it is alleged that when they met, Litvinenko was given the substance in his tea. The British crown prosecution service want to prosecute Lugovoy for murder and the British authorities have demanded the extradition of Lugovoy to London to stand trial.
The Russians have refused on the grounds that under the Russian Constitution Russian nationals cannot be extradited. They have also refused so far to try Lugovoy, who denies the charge, in a Russian court.