LONDON – “It would be important to receive a sentence from an international court, not only on the murder of my husband but also on the many attacks in recent years in which Moscow is suspected.” Marina Litvinenko, widow of Alexander, the former KGB agent murdered in London in 2006 with a dose of radioactive polonium in a cup of tea, sues Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
She turned to the European Court of Human Rights, asking for compensation of 3.5 million euros for the moral damages and lost earnings resulting from the death of her spouse. Both had obtained asylum and British citizenship. Subsequently, a British government investigation lasting years recognized two former KGB agents as the material perpetrators of the assassination and the Russian president as the “highly likely” instigator.
The Kremlin has always refused to extradite the suspected killers, Andrei Logovoy and Dmitry Kovtun to England, denying any responsibility. Now for the first time the matter ends up in court, before the Strasbourg judges, an emanation of the Council of Europe, of which Russia is a member.
Why this appeal to the European Court, Mrs Litvinenko?
“The appeal started in 2007, but we stopped it pending the investigation of the British government, which ended only in 2016. At that point we resubmitted it, adding the request for compensation for damages. Now we expect an imminent decision ».
Knowing Putin’s Russia, do you hope to win the case or even get compensation from Moscow?
“Other Russian citizens have turned to the European Court and got what they asked for. But for me it’s not a question of money. It would be important to receive a sentence from an international court, recognized by Russia moreover, not only on my husband’s case but also, as we have asked, on the other political killings charged to Moscow in recent years ”.
Like the attempted nerve gas assassination of ex-agent Skripal in Salisbury?
“And like the recent one in Siberia against Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnyj.”
The American law firm representing her is very close to Joe Biden. Do you expect that, with Biden in the White House, America will have a tougher line on Russian state assassinations than Donald Trump?
“I hope so. When Trump became president in 2016, the Litvinenko case was one of the first questions brought to his attention. And Trump replied: “I don’t know anything, I have no proof, I don’t believe it.” With Biden, I think things will change, as he suggests the support I receive from the lawyers close to him ».
Is it true that he also had little support from Boris Johnson?
“My husband’s murder took place under a Labor government and the then foreign minister, David Miliband, met with me twice. With the advent of the Conservatives, the attitude changed. I met Theresa May when she was Minister of the Interior, but then she herself interrupted the public inquiry citing the need not to compromise relations between Russia and Great Britain. Meanwhile, conservatives continued to receive donations from wealthy Russians for their party like nothing had happened. I’m not saying it was this that conditioned them, but I can’t help but notice it ».
Are you afraid for yourself to challenge Putin in such an important international venue?
“Today there are many reasons to be afraid. Many people are suffering from the pandemic. Let’s say that I don’t fear for myself any more than others fear ”.
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