Russia asks UK to explain BBC Litvinenko claims

Moscow is waiting for an official response from Britain regarding allegations that the Russian state was involved in the 2006 killing of former Russian security officer Aleksandr Litvinenko. The claims emerged on a BBC programme on Monday. British Intelli

Russia’s ambassador to the U.K., Yury Fedotov, said Moscow wants the British government to either dismiss these allegations or confirm them. He also denied claims by the British press that nearly 30 representatives of the Russian Embassy in London are spies.

Aleksandr Litvinenko died of radioactive poisoning in London in November 2006, three weeks after suddenly falling ill. British investigators accused Russian agent-turned-businessman Andrey Lugovoy over the murder and demanded his extradition from Russia, sparking a major diplomatic row.