by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright July 19, 2007
All Rights Reserved.

etaliating for the U.K. expelling four Russian diplomats in response to the Alexander Litvinenko polonium-210 poisoning case, Russian President Vladimir V. Putin ejected four British diplomats, escalating an international crisis begun when Litvinenko died Nov. 23, 2006. Litvinenko, a 43-year-old former KGB agent exiled in London, was a Kremilin critic investigating the mafia-like murder of beloved Russian journalist Ana Politkovskaya. British authorities trace Litvinenko's poisoning to Nov. 1, when he met another former KGB-man Andrei Lugovoi at London's Millennium Hotel for high tea. Recent press reports indicate that Lugovoi sprayed Litvinenko's tea with polonium-210, a deadly radioactive isotope. Litvinenko deteriorated rapidly over the next three weeks, suffering an agonizing death Nov. 23. While hospitalized on his deathbed, Litvinenko blamed Putin.

      Since taking office from the late reformer Boris Yeltsin, Putin systematically reversed many of Russia's progressive reforms, dismantling the fledgling free press and persecuting wealthy businessmen known as “oligarchs.” After chasing former media mogul Boris Berezovsky out the country, Scotland Yard recently warned the one-time kingpin that the FSB, Russia's successor to the KGB, placed a hit on the exiled 55-year-old businessman living in London. British authorities still haven't gotten over Russia's egregious hit on Litvinenko, executing a heinous murder in the heart of Central London, exposing countless people to radiation. Before his death, Litvinenko was on the verge of exposing Putin and the Kremlin in the murder of Politkovskaya. Former Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev denounced Politkovskaya's murder as a crime against democracy and all of Russia.

      When the U.K. expelled four Russian “diplomats” July 16 in response to Russia's refusal to extradite Lugovoi, the prime suspect in Litvinenko's murder, Moscow retaliated tit-for-tat, ejecting four British diplomats July 19. “Given the unfriendly acts by the U.K. toward Russia, the ambassador was officially informed that four diplomats at the British embassy in Moscow have been declared persona non grata and have 10 days to leave Russian territory,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin. Kamynin mentions nothing about the egregious murder of Litvinenko on British soil and refusal of Russian authorities to extradite Lugovoi. Putin's recent informal visit to the Bush-family estate in Kennebunkport, Maine, apparently didn't ease East-West tensions, heightened recently by President George W. Bush's decision to install a missile defense system in Eastern Europe.

      British-Russian relations hit a new low, not seen since 1996 when both countries expelled diplomats over a spying flap. Russia claims the U.K's extradition request violates a Russian law, preventing its citizens from facing trial in foreign countries. Russia claims its response to expel the diplomats was “targeted, balanced and the minimum that was required,” said Kamynin, insisting British actions were unjustified. With Putin slated to leave office in June '08, he has taken an aggressive posture toward the West, hinting his successor will be a Kremlin hardliner. “I have underline to him [Kamynin] our continuing disappointment at Russia's reaction so far to our request for extradition of Mr. Lugovoi and our continuing hope that Russia will find a way to cooperate,” said British Ambassador Tony Brenton, explaining the U.K.'s position on Litvinenko's murder.

      When British authorities uncovered an assassination plot on billionaire Boris Berezovsky, the U.K.'s Prime Minister Gordon Brown and new occupant of 10 Downing St., decided enough was enough. No matter what Russia's charges against Berezovsky, including tax evasion, fraud and sedition, sending an FSB agent onto British soil to murder a former citizen went over the top. “A terrible crime has been committed on British soil,” said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, supporting the U.K's extradition request. “Russia should honor the extradition request and cooperate fully,” prompting angry denunciations from Russia's U.K. Ambassador Uri Fedotov, calling claims linking Putin to Litvinenko's murder “preposterous.” Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesman Kamynin threatened more retaliatory measures, including suspending visas and cooperation on terrorism.

      Russia's overreaction to Britain's extradition request suggests that the link between Litnvinenko's death and the Kremlin may not be too farfetched. Extraditing Lugovoi would open up and can of worms, possibly implicating, as Litvinenko said on his deathbed, Putin and the Kremlin. Connecting the dots, there's a linkage, however tenuous, between the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya and the hit on Litvinenko, holding the key to Putin's involvement in political assassination. If there were no such connection, it's doubtful the Russian government would sacrifice relations with the U.K. over the simple request to extradite a common criminal to stand trial. With over $15-billion in trade invested in Russia, the U.K. stands to rock the economic boat playing diplomatic tit-for-tat. While Russia seeks to protect Putin, theU.K. just wants some truth and justice

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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