Putin "probably" behind Litvinenko murder

1998: Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko claims at Moscow news conference that FSB instructed him to kill high-profile Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky

1999: Litvinenko jailed for nine months on charges of abuse of office within FSB

2000: Flees Russia with help of Berezovsky, gains political asylum in Britain

2002: Co-writes book accusing FSB of carrying out 1999 apartment block bombings that killed over 300 people – blamed on Chechen rebels

2003: Litvinenko recruited by British intelligence service MI6 as paid informant on organised crime

2006: Begins investigating assassination of journalist Anna Politkovskaya –
long-term critic of Kremlin

Nov 1, 2006: Litvinenko meets Russian associates Andrei Lugovoi (left) and Dmitry Kovtun at London hotel. Litvinenko falls ill that night and is admitted to hospital three days later

Nov 23: Litvinenko dies in intensive care – death attributed to radioactive polonium-210 administered in cup of tea

Alexander Litvinenko

May 2007: UK prosecutors decide Lugovoi should face trial for murder of Litvinenko

Jul: Moscow refuses extradition request for Lugovoi. UK announces expulsion of four Russian diplomats. Moscow responds in kind

May-Jun 2013: Inquest into Litvinenko’s death delayed as coroner decides public inquiry would be preferable, giving it power to hear some evidence in secret

Jul: UK Government rules out public inquiry

Jan 2014: Litvinenko’s widow Marina in High Court fight to force public inquiry

Feb: High Court overrules Home Office decision not to hold inquiry

Jan 2015: Public inquiry begins

Jan 21, 2016: Inquiry concludes "strong probability" that FSB directed killing, and President Putin "probably approved" plan

Source: Wire agencies

Pictures: Associated Press, Getty Images