Kremlin 'complicit in Litvinenko murder'

Alexander Litvinenko's widow has claimed the Russian government may have been complicit in his murder.

The former KGB agent and Kremlin critic died in a London hospital on 23 November 2006 from radiation poisoning.

It is understood that Russia's refusal to extradite prime suspect Andrei Lugovoy was discussed during talks between Gordon Brown and new Russian president Dmitry Medvedev at the G8 summit in Japan on Monday.

In a strongly-worded statement, Marina Litvinenko praised the Prime Minister for "standing firm" in his dealings with Mr Medvedev.

Mrs Litvinenko said: "I was relieved to find out that the Prime Minister stood firm and explained to Mr Medvedev that there can be no compromise on that."

She added: "Britain once again has shown that it would not short change its principles in the face of bullying and blackmail. I am proud of being British.

"I hoped that President Medvedev would tell the truth about my husband's murder. By doing so he would distance himself from the previous regime.

"It appears that he chose to side with it. The difference between him and Mr Putin is only in style but not in substance.

"The responsibility for the deterioration of relations lies entirely with the Russian side.

"Not only the Russian government harbours a suspected killer and obstructs a murder investigation, but there is a mounting evidence that it was complicit in the murder itself in the first place.

"The argument between Britain and Russia is not an exchange between equal parties; it is a dialogue between law and lawlessness, between decent people and a criminal enterprise."

British security officials are reportedly convinced the Russian state was involved in the murder of Mr Litvinenko.

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