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British Police Detail Clues in Death of Russian Tycoon British Police Detail Clues in Death of Russian Tycoon
(about 7 hours later)
LONDON — In a first brief detailing of the circumstances surrounding the death of the exiled Russian oligarch Boris A. Berezovsky, a British police officer said on Thursday that the former tycoon was found lying on his bathroom floor with a “ligature around his neck and a piece of similar material on the shower rail above him.” LONDON — In a first brief detailing of the circumstances surrounding the recent death of the exiled Russian oligarch Boris A. Berezovsky, a British police officer said Thursday that Mr. Berezovsky was found lying on his bathroom floor with a “ligature around his neck and a piece of similar material on the shower rail above him.”
But, in a potential departure from earlier police assessments, the officer, Detective Inspector Mark Bissell of the Thames Valley police, said that while there was no evidence of a violent struggle when the body was discovered on Saturday, the involvement of another person “cannot be completely eliminated, as tests remain outstanding.” The officer, Detective Inspector Mark Bissell, confirmed an earlier police finding that Mr. Berezovsky’s death was “consistent with hanging.” However, in an assessment that seemed certain to provoke fresh speculation about the nature of the case, he said that while there was no evidence of a violent struggle, the involvement of another person “cannot be completely eliminated, as tests remain outstanding.”
The officer was speaking at the opening of an inquest into Mr. Berezovsky’s death, held at Windsor, west of London. In Britain, inquests are held to establish the cause of unusual deaths and do not generally ascribe blame. The officer said that toxicologists would continue tests on Mr. Berezovsky’s body, which could take weeks, and that there would be further searches at Mr. Berezovksy’s home in Ascot, west of London.
The officer confirmed an earlier police finding that Mr. Berezovsky’s death was “consistent with hanging.” He said toxicologists would continue tests on Mr. Berezovsky’s body, and there would be further searches at his home surrounded by extensive grounds in Ascot, west of London. He was speaking at the opening of an inquest into Mr. Berezovsky’s death, held at Windsor, west of London. In Britain, inquests are held to establish the cause of unusual deaths and do not generally ascribe blame.
After its formal opening, the inquest was adjourned. Throughout, Mr. Berezovsky was referred to as Platon Elenin, British news reports said, the name that he took in 2004 and that was used on travel documents issued by the British authorities.
Mr. Berezovsky, 67, was last seen alive by an employee around 9:05 p.m. Friday. The same employee discovered his body in a locked bathroom the following day. Mr. Berezovsky, 67, was last seen alive by an employee on Friday night. The same employee discovered his body in a locked bathroom the following day, setting off intense speculation over the final hours of one of the Kremlin’s most vocal critics, who was once one of the most important power brokers in 1990s Russia.
On Monday, the police said a post-mortem examination had found no sign of a violent struggle. The announcement followed two days of intense speculation over the final hours of one of the Kremlin’s most vocal critics, who was once one of the most important power brokers in 1990s Russia. The police said Monday there were no signs of violence.
“The results of the post-mortem examination, carried out by a Home Office pathologist, have found the cause of death is consistent with hanging,” a police statement said on Monday. “The pathologist has found nothing to indicate a violent struggle.” “The results of the post-mortem examination, carried out by a Home Office pathologist, have found the cause of death is consistent with hanging,” a police statement said then. “The pathologist has found nothing to indicate a violent struggle.”
That seemed to rule out the presence of anyone other than Mr. Berezovsky in the final minutes of his life. But the police assessment on Thursday that the involvement of someone else could not be ruled out seemed certain to provoke fresh speculation about the nature of his death.
The questions could deepen with the reference to toxicological tests, which could take several weeks, according to Mr. Bissell, the police officer. During the inquest, Mr. Berezovsky was referred to as Platon Elenin, British news reports said, the name that he took in 2004 and that was used on travel documents issued by the British authorities.
Mr. Berezovsky fled Russia in 2000 after falling out with President Vladimir V. Putin, whom he had once helped to secure power. In London, he set himself up as the focal point of émigrés seeking Mr. Putin’s ouster, resisting Russian efforts to have him sent back on criminal charges.Mr. Berezovsky fled Russia in 2000 after falling out with President Vladimir V. Putin, whom he had once helped to secure power. In London, he set himself up as the focal point of émigrés seeking Mr. Putin’s ouster, resisting Russian efforts to have him sent back on criminal charges.
One of his associates, Alexander V. Litvinenko, a former K.G.B. officer, died of radiation poisoning in 2006 after ingesting a rare isotope, polonium 210, from a cup of tea at an upscale London hotel. British prosecutors are seeking the extradition from Russia of another former K.G.B. officer, Andrei K. Lugovoi, who has denied murder charges.One of his associates, Alexander V. Litvinenko, a former K.G.B. officer, died of radiation poisoning in 2006 after ingesting a rare isotope, polonium 210, from a cup of tea at an upscale London hotel. British prosecutors are seeking the extradition from Russia of another former K.G.B. officer, Andrei K. Lugovoi, who has denied murder charges.
Flamboyant and impetuous, Mr. Berezovsky was frequently in the headlines, most notably last October when, in a stunning reversal of his fortunes and life style, he lost a spectacular $5.1 billion lawsuit against a former protégé, Roman A. Abramovich, the billionaire who owns the Chelsea soccer club and many other interests, including businesses and yachts.Flamboyant and impetuous, Mr. Berezovsky was frequently in the headlines, most notably last October when, in a stunning reversal of his fortunes and life style, he lost a spectacular $5.1 billion lawsuit against a former protégé, Roman A. Abramovich, the billionaire who owns the Chelsea soccer club and many other interests, including businesses and yachts.
The courtroom defeat left Mr. Berezovsky with huge legal fees, friends said, and sent him into a profound depression.The courtroom defeat left Mr. Berezovsky with huge legal fees, friends said, and sent him into a profound depression.
In a statement released through the police on Wednesday, the family of his second wife, Galina Besharova, paid glowing tribute to him, contrasting with a far less salubrious image of the onetime billionaire sponsored by the Kremlin and Mr. Berezovsky’s critics in Russia and elsewhere.In a statement released through the police on Wednesday, the family of his second wife, Galina Besharova, paid glowing tribute to him, contrasting with a far less salubrious image of the onetime billionaire sponsored by the Kremlin and Mr. Berezovsky’s critics in Russia and elsewhere.
The tribute, the police said, was written by a daughter, Anastasia, and said: “My father was not the typical parent, nothing about him was ordinary. He has colored my life in infinite ways, and I know that what he concerned himself most with was making all his children proud.The tribute, the police said, was written by a daughter, Anastasia, and said: “My father was not the typical parent, nothing about him was ordinary. He has colored my life in infinite ways, and I know that what he concerned himself most with was making all his children proud.
“His determination and excitement for every aspect of life is something that stands out in even my earliest memories of him and that will always remain deep in my heart.“His determination and excitement for every aspect of life is something that stands out in even my earliest memories of him and that will always remain deep in my heart.
“He has taught me many things about this world. He has taught me to never stop fighting for what one believes in no matter what the costs may be. I doubt anyone could have met a man with a stronger presence, or with charm that was more overwhelming than the one my father possessed.“He has taught me many things about this world. He has taught me to never stop fighting for what one believes in no matter what the costs may be. I doubt anyone could have met a man with a stronger presence, or with charm that was more overwhelming than the one my father possessed.
“There aren’t enough words in any language that can somehow express everything that he was and everything he will continue to be. The only word that comes close is extraordinary.”“There aren’t enough words in any language that can somehow express everything that he was and everything he will continue to be. The only word that comes close is extraordinary.”

Stephen Castle contributed reporting from London.

Stephen Castle contributed reporting from London.