Summary

  • President Putin "probably" approved murder of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko, public inquiry concludes on 21 January, 2016

  • Widow Marina Litvinenko "very pleased" with report and calls for UK government action against Russia

  • Russian Foreign Ministry says inquiry was "politicised"

  • Mr Litvinenko died in London in 2006 from effects of radiation poisoning

Live Reporting

Emma Ailes and Martha Buckley

  1. Litvinenko's widow calls for expulsion of all Russian intelligence operatives

    BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera tweets

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  2. Litvinenko findings headline news in Russia

    BBC Moscow correspondent Sarah Rainsford tweets

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  3. Government sources stress action has already been taken against Russia in wake of Litvinenko killing

    BBC News assistant political editor Norman Smith tweets

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  4. 'Gasps in the court room'

    Here's how BBC home affairs's Steve Swann tweeted about the morning's developments

  5. Litvinenko inquiry findings: The main events so far

    LitvinenkoAP

    Here is a recap of the main events of the morning after the findings of the public inquiry into the death by poisoning of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006.

    • President Putin "probably" approved murder of Alexander Litvinenko, public inquiry concludes  
    • Mr Putin likely to have signed off the poisoning of Mr Litvinenko, who was in London, in part due to personal "antagonism" between the pair, it says  
    • Widow Marina Litvinenko "very pleased" with report and calls for UK government action against Russia  
    • Russian Foreign Ministry reacts by saying inquiry was "politicised" and has "overshadowed the general atmosphere of bilateral relations"
    • Home Secretary Theresa May due to give the UK government's response to the findings in a statement to the House of Commons shortly
    • Russian suspect Andrei Lugovoi calls the allegations against him "absurd", while his fellow suspect Dmitry Kovtun says he will react once he has more information about the report findings

  6. 'Clouds over UK-Russia relations'

    BBC Moscow correspondent tweets...

  7. Litvinenko friend: 'Naming Putin is the ultimate justice'

    PutinAFP

    Alexander Goldfarb, a friend of Alexander Litvinenko and head of the Litvinenko Justice Foundation, has given his reaction to the findings.

    I think it's a very appropriate and fair finding because nobody in the Russian hierarchy would dare to order such a murder without Mr Putin's approval.

    And (that) this finding actually names, is an ultimate justice. As you remember, on his deathbed, Sacha Litvinenko named Mr Putin as the person responsible for his poisoning and now it's become the legally established fact.

  8. Suspect Dmitry Kovtun not commenting on report
    Breaking

    In his first reaction to the report, Russian businessman Dmitry Kovtun, who is suspected of helping to carry out the Litvinenko murder, says he won't be commenting until he gets more information about its contents, the Interfax news agency reports.

  9. Russian state TV makes no mention of Putin link

    Reporting Russian criticism of the Litvinenko inquiry, state-run Rossiya 24 TV makes no mention of the accusations that Putin approved his murder, but mentions the suspects, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun. The TV also says the Owen report is vague and is full of words like "possibly" and "probably" (Via BBC Monitoring)

  10. Litvinenko inquiry: What do we know?

    Victoria Derbyshire

  11. Noises from Downing Street - and Labour's likely response

    Norman Smith
    Assistant political editor

    British government sources are stressing that the UK has already taken action in response to the killing of Alexander Litvinenko. 

    It's pointed out that after the death of Mr Litvinenko, the UK expelled four Russian diplomats. 

    It was also pointed out that co-operation with the Russian security services was ended and a halt put to talks over visa liberalisation. 

    The home secretary will make a statement setting out the government's response at around 11:15 GMT.

    Meanwhile, it's understood Labour is likely to demand the UK government considers leading calls for Russia to be stripped of the 2018 World Cup.   

    It is also likely to demand the government considers further possible sanctions and travel bans for those linked to the killing. 

    They will also question whether relations between the British parliament and Russia Duma should be reconsidered. 

  12. First official reaction to Litvinenko from Moscow
    Breaking

    A statement issued by the Russian government, also mentioned on Russian state TV, says the case was "politicised" and has "overshadowed the general atmosphere of bilateral relations" between Russia and the UK, BBC Monitoring reports.

    Read the full statement here.

    We regret that the purely criminal case was politicised and overshadowed the general atmosphere of bilateral relations... the process has not been transparent... There was no reason to expect it to be objective and unbiased"

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

  13. Corera reports on reaction when judge released findings

    BBC security correspondent tweets

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  14. Will Litvinenko inquiry lead to more sanctions?

    BBC Moscow Correspondent Sarah Rainsford has this analysis...

  15. Litvinenko's friend tells BBC 'it was always certain Putin knew'

    Victoria Derbyshire

    Yuri Felshanski,

    Yuri Felshtinsky, co-author of Mr Litvinenko's book "Blowing Up Russia" and a friend of Mr Litvinenko, says the report findings are not a surprise.

    It was almost certain that you would not order the murder of a Russian citizen in London without the knowledge of Putin.

    I think what we heard is a good sign that the British government decided to explain openly and certainly what happened. We will see what will happen now.

  16. Russian sources say there will be "repercussions"

    An unnamed source quoted by the Russian news agency Interfax says the "uncivilised and illegitimate" conclusion of the Litvinenko case will "not remain without repercussions for UK-Russian relations." ( Via BBC Monitoring)

  17. UK and Russian co-operation 'not severed', Frank Gardner says

    Intelligence co-operation between London and Moscow has not been completely severed following the death of Mr Litvinenko, BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says.

    It remains severely reduced but given the global threat from IS, there is an element of realpolitik here. The intelligence Britain showed Russia on the downing of the Metrojet airliner over the Sinai in October was enough to convince Moscow it was indeed an act of terrorism.

  18. Moscow not represented at inquiry

    The year-long inquiry heard evidence from a variety of experts, but neither of the alleged killers or Moscow representatives. Much of the material from the UK security services has been censored from the public version, although it informed Sir Robert's findings. 

  19. The BBC's Richard Galpin has examined the key findings of the Litvinenko inquiry

    You can also read the full findings of the report here.

  20. Pressure to mount on UK, Gordon Corera says

    Security correspondent tweets

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