Russia tension ‘not behind Litvinenko inquiry’

Marina Litvinenko insisted that the probe would have happened anyway without pressures over Ukraine.

She said: “I’ve been waiting for this decision since February. I believed it would happen one day, and it’s happened when it’s a very difficult situation in the world.

“What happened in Ukraine has made my case a very different prospect, but I’m definitely sure the decision was not made because of this.”

She said she has not fought for a public inquiry as a move against the UK or Russia, but for the truth.

“I’ve done this for justice, I’ve done this for truth. I would like to show people you are able to get justice in any difficult situation.”

Former KGB bodyguard Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun have been identified as the prime suspects in the killing, but both deny any involvement and remain in Russia.

Mrs Litvinenko says she believes that they will never face extradition to the UK.

Referring to Russian president Vladimir Putin, she said: “I believe he will never change his mind.”

But she said the public inquiry offered “a different type of justice.”

Although Mrs Litvinenko and her lawyers will not be able to see secret material that will be part of the evidence in the inquiry, the chairman can take it into account, unlike in an inquest.

Mrs Litvinenko said: “This is a different type of justice. For me it’s very important, this type of justice, because there will still be consideration of why Sasha died.”

She fought for the probe into her husband’s murder after a coroner said he could not hold a “fair and fearless” investigation as part of an inquest, and that a public inquiry should take place instead.

The 43-year-old Russian spy, known as Sasha to his loved ones, died after drinking tea laced with radioactive polonium-210 with two former colleagues at a London hotel in 2006.

“It has taken nearly eight years to bring those culpable for Sasha’s murder to justice. I look forward to the day when the truth behind my husband’s murder is revealed for the whole world to see.”

Home Secretary Theresa May announced the probe in a written ministerial statement, saying: “I very much hope that this inquiry will be of some comfort to his widow.”

The move means investigators can probe whether the Russian state was behind the murder, but it will not look at whether UK authorities could have prevented his death.

Previously the Government had resisted launching a public inquiry, and instead said it would “wait and see” what a judge-led inquest found.

But Mrs Litvinenko challenged this and the High Court ruled that the Home Secretary must reconsider the decision.

The move is likely to anger Mr Putin at a time when relations are strained in the aftermath of the downing of the Malaysia Airlines flight in Ukraine. Earlier David Cameron’s official spokesman said there was “no link whatsoever” between the announcement of the inquiry and current tensions with Russia over its activities in Ukraine.

Sir Robert Owen, the senior judge who was acting as coroner in the inquest into Mr Litvinenko’s death, will chair the public inquiry, which is set to begin on July 31 and finish at the end of next year.