Hamburg, Germany
The investigation into the murder of Russian ex-agent Alexander Litvinenko has widened from London, where he died of radiation poisoning, to Germany and Russia. German police said they found traces of polonium-210 in and around Hamburg, in locations where Russian businessman Dmitry Kovtun had been before he flew to London. Kovtun was one of two Russians who met with Litvinenko in London the day he was poisoned. Now ill with radiation poisoning in a Moscow hospital, Kovtun said he must have been exposed by Litvinenko. But German police confirmed that Kovtun was exposed days prior to the meeting. "He may not only be a victim, but could also be a perpetrator," said Hamburg prosecutor Martin Koehnke. Interpol, the international police network, said it was coordinating information from British, German, and Russian investigations.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Ex-FBI agents sue Patel over protest firingspeed read The former FBI agents were fired for kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest for ‘apolitical tactical reasons’
-
The real tragedy that inspired ‘Hamlet,’ the life of a pingpong prodigy and the third ‘Avatar’ adventure in December moviesThe Week Recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Hamnet,’ ‘Marty Supreme’ and ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
-
‘These moves would usher in a future of chemical leaks’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
