Russia 'tracked' spy killers in UK - Europe - Al Jazeera English

Russia 'tracked' spy killers in UK - Europe - Al Jazeera English: "Russia was following the suspected killers of former spy Alexander Litvinenko before he was poisoned in London in 2006, but had been told to stand down by British authorities, according to remarks in leaked US diplomatic cables.

'[Russian Special Presidential Representative Anatoly] Safonov claimed that Russian authorities in London had known about and followed individuals moving radioactive substances into the city but were told by the British that they were under control before the poisoning took place,' the cable said.

Litvinenko, a former KGB agent turned Kremlin critic, died in hospital after being poisoned with the radioactive substance polonium-210 in a restaurant.

The leaked US cable, quoting a meeting in Paris between a Russian official and Henry Crumpton, US Ambassador-at-Large, was released by WikiLeaks and published on The Guardian's website on Saturday."

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