Litvinenko widow: Alexei Navalny a great Russian politician

The widow of Alexander Litvinenko has told BBC World News of her strong support for Alexei Navalny, an opponent of President Vladimir Putin who has been jailed in Russia.

Marina Litvinenko's husband, another critic of President Putin, died from radioactive polonium poisoning in London in 2006.

She said: "It is difficult to watch. I really believe he is a great politician and now the number one person in opposition to Putin."

Mr Navalny has a higher profile than Mr Litvinenko had in Russia, with state media often reporting on him.

The protests over his imprisonment showed that people had decided to go outside "and say we have our own rights", said Mrs Litvinenko.