Russia ‘most likely behind Litvinenko murder’

The Russian government was most likely involved in the murder by poisoning of Kremlin critic and former spy Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006, a British lawyer told a preliminary hearing into the death.

The statement by Hugh Davies, an attorney acting on behalf of the inquest, is likely to enrage Russia, which has denied any involvement in the killing, and could put further strain on London’s already testy relations with Moscow.

The London court also heard the former KGB agent was working for Britain’s MI6 secret service when he died, suggesting the British government might come under scrutiny for failing to protect him.