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Russian plans to come to Germany in poisoning case
14 Mar 2007 11:50:19 GMT
Source: Reuters
BERLIN, March 14 (Reuters) - Russian businessman Dmitry Kovtun plans to come to Germany and help German investigators in looking into the fatal radioactive poisoning of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, Kovtun's lawyer said on Wednesday.

Kovtun met Litvinenko at a London hotel on Nov. 1 with another Russian businessman, Andrei Lugovoy. Later that day, Litvinenko complained of feeling ill and was admitted to a London hospital shortly afterwards where he died a slow death.

In December, German police uncovered traces of polonium 210, the substance that killed Litvinenko, in properties Kovtun used in Hamburg. Hamburg prosecutors have been investigating him on suspicion of illegally handling radioactive material.

Kovtun denies any link to Litvinenko's death.

"Kovtun wants to come to Hamburg to meet with prosecutors, among other things," attorney Wolfgang Vehlow told Reuters, adding that Kovtun has permanent residency in Germany and considers the northern port city of Hamburg a home.

Vehlow said it was unclear when the trip would happen. Kovtun developed symptoms of radiation poisoning, according to Russian prosecutors, and both he and Lugovoy spent several weeks in hospital after their return to Moscow from London.

There are conflicting reports about Kovtun's health, but Vehlow said Kovtun was well enough to travel to Germany.

Litvinenko, a Kremlin critic, issued a deathbed statement accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing him. The Kremlin dismissed the allegations as nonsense.

Lugovoy was a former KGB bodyguard who later worked as head of security for Russian media tycoon Boris Berezovsky.

Berezovsky, who helped Putin achieve power, fell foul of the Kremlin as the Russian leader moved to cement his authority. He fled Russia in 2000 and lives in London.
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Head of Russia's Emergencies Ministry Sergei Shoigu attends an exercise on rescue workers evacuating people from flooded areas, in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk March 31, 2007. The vast Siberian rivers Yenisey and Lena are prone to break over their banks in spring during thawing period, posing a potential risk to the population.



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