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

Alexander

Litvinenko

2002:

Co-writes book accusing

FSB of carrying out 1999 apartment

block bombings that killed over 300

people – blamed on Chechen rebels

May 2007:

UK prosecutors decide

Lugovoi should face trial for

murder of Litvinenko

2003:

Litvinenko recruited by

Jul:

Moscow refuses extradition

British intelligence service MI6 as

paid informant on organised crime

request for Lugovoi. UK announces

expulsion of four Russian diplomats.

2006:

Begins investigating

Moscow responds in kind

assassination of journalist

May-Jun 2013:

Inquest into

Anna Politkovskaya –

Litvinenko’s death delayed as

coroner decides public inquiry

would be preferable, giving

it power to hear some

evidence in secret

long-term critic of Kremlin

Jul:

UK Government

rules out public inquiry

Jan 2014:

Litvinenko’s widow

Marina

in High Court

Nov 1, 2006:

Litvinenko meets

fight to force public inquiry

Russian associates

Andrei Lugovoi

(left) and

Dmitry Kovtun

at London

Feb:

High Court overrules Home

hotel. Litvinenko falls ill that night

and is admitted to hospital three

days later

Office decision not to hold inquiry

Jan 2015:

Public inquiry begins

Nov 23:

Litvinenko dies in

Jan 21, 2016: Inquiry concludes

intensive care – death attributed

to radioactive polonium-210

administered in cup of tea

“strong probability” that FSB

directed killing, and President

Putin “probably approved” plan

Source: Wire agencies

Pictures: Associated Press, Getty Images