Litvinenko 'poisoned for exposing corruption,' lawyer claims

Ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko was murdered for trying to "expose the corruption" at the heart of Vladimir Putin's "mafia state", the public inquiry into his death has heard.

His poisoning with polonium was an "act of nuclear terrorism on streets of a major city," said Ben Emmerson QC, the barrister representing his family.

Two Russians, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun, have denied any involvement.

Mr Litvinenko died from radioactive polonium-210 poisoning, three weeks after drinking tea laced with the substance at a meeting with the pair at London's Millennium Hotel in November 2006.