Russia and Britain in Lugovoi extradition row

RUSSIAN prosecutors yesterday said they have officially refused Britain’s request to extradite a businessman accused in last year’s fatal poisoning of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko.

Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika’s office said its refusal to turn over Andrei Lugovoi was based on a constitutional prohibition against turning Russian citizens over to foreign countries, as well as a European convention that allows signatories to refuse to extradite their nationals.

Extraditing Lugovoi “is not deemed possible”, the office said in a statement, adding that it had informed the Home Office of the decision. The Home Office had no comment.