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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Spy widow points finger at Russia | Spy widow points finger at Russia |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The widow of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko has said she believes the Russian authorities could have been behind his murder. | The widow of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko has said she believes the Russian authorities could have been behind his murder. |
| Marina Litvinenko, 44, told the Mail on Sunday: "Obviously it was not Putin himself, of course not." | Marina Litvinenko, 44, told the Mail on Sunday: "Obviously it was not Putin himself, of course not." |
| But she said what President Putin "does around him in Russia makes it possible to kill a British person" in Britain. | But she said what President Putin "does around him in Russia makes it possible to kill a British person" in Britain. |
| She said she had confidence UK police would find her husband's killer, but would not help Russia's planned probe. | |
| Mrs Litvinenko told the paper Russian authorities had not yet been in touch with her. | Mrs Litvinenko told the paper Russian authorities had not yet been in touch with her. |
| We were both completely sure he would recover Marina Litvinenko | We were both completely sure he would recover Marina Litvinenko |
| "I do not think I will help them with their investigations," she said. "I can't believe that they will tell the truth. I can't believe if they ask about evidence they will use it in the proper way." | "I do not think I will help them with their investigations," she said. "I can't believe that they will tell the truth. I can't believe if they ask about evidence they will use it in the proper way." |
| She added she was confident UK police would find out who killed her husband. | She added she was confident UK police would find out who killed her husband. |
| Traces of a radioactive substance, polonium-210, were found in Mr Litvinenko's body. | Traces of a radioactive substance, polonium-210, were found in Mr Litvinenko's body. |
| Two of the 26 police officers closely involved in the Litvinenko inquiry have tested positive for traces of that radioactive substance. | Two of the 26 police officers closely involved in the Litvinenko inquiry have tested positive for traces of that radioactive substance. |
| The Metropolitan Police said the polonium traces were "relatively small" and were "below defined safety limits". | The Metropolitan Police said the polonium traces were "relatively small" and were "below defined safety limits". |
| Both officers are being monitored by health specialists. | Both officers are being monitored by health specialists. |
| Mr Litvinenko's widow denied he had ever been a spy | Mr Litvinenko's widow denied he had ever been a spy |
| Mrs Litvinenko also told the Mail on Sunday her husband's last words to her last month before he died of suspected polonium-210 poisoning were: "Marina, I love you so much." | Mrs Litvinenko also told the Mail on Sunday her husband's last words to her last month before he died of suspected polonium-210 poisoning were: "Marina, I love you so much." |
| She also said she would do everything she could for "Sasha", as her husband was known to family and friends. | She also said she would do everything she could for "Sasha", as her husband was known to family and friends. |
| "Even until the last day, and the day before when he became unconscious, I thought he would be okay. We were both completely sure he would recover, " she told the newspaper. | "Even until the last day, and the day before when he became unconscious, I thought he would be okay. We were both completely sure he would recover, " she told the newspaper. |
| "We had been talking about bone-marrow transplants and looking to the future." | "We had been talking about bone-marrow transplants and looking to the future." |
| Mrs Litvinenko said the couple's 12-year-old son had found his father's death "very difficult", but he had been trying to comfort his mother. | Mrs Litvinenko said the couple's 12-year-old son had found his father's death "very difficult", but he had been trying to comfort his mother. |
| Friends of Mr Litvinenko believe he was poisoned because of his criticisms of the Russian government, but the Kremlin has dismissed suggestions it was involved in any way as "sheer nonsense". | Friends of Mr Litvinenko believe he was poisoned because of his criticisms of the Russian government, but the Kremlin has dismissed suggestions it was involved in any way as "sheer nonsense". |
| 'Speaking out' | 'Speaking out' |
| His widow told the Sunday Times she had decided to speak out after some "completely untrue" reports suggested her husband was a man of dubious character. | His widow told the Sunday Times she had decided to speak out after some "completely untrue" reports suggested her husband was a man of dubious character. |
| She told the paper he had been an honest man and a crime fighter rather than a spy. | She told the paper he had been an honest man and a crime fighter rather than a spy. |
| Mrs Litvinenko also told the Sunday Times: "Everybody tries to write about Sasha like he was an ex-spy, but it's completely untrue. He never was a spy." | Mrs Litvinenko also told the Sunday Times: "Everybody tries to write about Sasha like he was an ex-spy, but it's completely untrue. He never was a spy." |
| She said her husband's public claims about his former employers at the FSB, Russia's secret police, had alienated them, the paper reported. | She said her husband's public claims about his former employers at the FSB, Russia's secret police, had alienated them, the paper reported. |
| She said Mr Litvinenko knew "you can never escape from the FSB and he was starting to speak openly about crime." | She said Mr Litvinenko knew "you can never escape from the FSB and he was starting to speak openly about crime." |
| She added: "I can't say (it was) these people but I'm absolutely sure they didn't forgive him for what he did." | She added: "I can't say (it was) these people but I'm absolutely sure they didn't forgive him for what he did." |