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Kovtun to Speak About Polonium Smuggling to Germans
Russia’s businessman Dmitry Kovtun intends to go to Germany to meet local investigators probing into the radioactive polonium poisoning of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko, said Kovtun’s lawyer Wolfgang Vehlow, Reuters reported. Hamburg is the permanent place of Kovtun’s residence, Vehlow reminded.
FSB former officer and then Kremlin’s fierce critic Alexander Litvinenko died in a London hospital from polonium poisoning on November 23, 2006, three weeks after he met with his Russian compatriots Dmitry Kovtun and Andrey Lugovoy in Millennium hotel.
In December 2006, German prosecutors found traces of radioactive polonium 210 in Hamburg premises visited by Kovtun, and opened investigation into the Russian. Kovtun that is suspected of smuggling the radioactive substances denies involvement in Litvinenko’s death.
Once back in Moscow from London, Kovtun and Lugovoy spent a few weeks in a special hospital. The examination showed Kovtun had signs of radionuclide poisoning and Russia’s prosecutors opened a case for an attempt to murder him.
Last time, Kovtun publicly appeared on January 30, 2007. When speaking at Russia Today TV Channel, Kovtun said he and Lugovoy are ready to cooperate with Scotland Yard but only under the laws of Russia.
Kovtun looked thinner and was completely bald that day, Reuters emphasized, supposing he had taken a sizeable doze of polonium. But Vehlow assuared Kovtun is healthy enough to go to Germany.
www.kommersant.com
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