Vladimir Putin 'probably approved' the murder of Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko

via The Telegraph

Alexander Litvinenko.

A British judge says President Vladimir Putin probably approved a plan by Russia's FSB security service to kill former agent Alexander Litvinenko, AP reports.

Judge Robert Owen said on Thursday in a lengthy report that he is certain Litvinenko was given tea laced with a fatal dose of polonium-210 at a London hotel in November 2006.

He says there is a "strong probability" that the FSB directed the killing, and the operation was "probably approved" by Putin.

Litvinenko's widow Marina, speaking outside London's High Court, said she was "very pleased" with the judge's conclusion.

"The words my husband spoke on his deathbed when he accused Mr Putin have been proved by an English court," the BBC quoted her as saying.

Sir Robert Owen, who chaired the inquiry, wrote in a 300-page report: "Taking full account of all the evidence and analysis available to me I find that the FSB operation to kill Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr Patrushev [then-FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev] and also by President Putin."

Here is a picture of part of the report, tweeted by Sky News correspondent Jonathan Samuels:

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