According to Boris Berezovsky (on the photo), the doctors have spotted traces of thallium in Litvinenko’s blood. Litvinenko will probably have to endure bone marrow transplantation and his chances of recovering are 50:50.
Photo: Valery Levitin
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Former Russian Spy Poisoned by Thallium
Britain’s police and MI5 are investigating a suspected plot to kill former officer of Russia’s Federal Security Service and political emigrant Alexander Litvinenko by poisoning him in a London sushi restaurant. The doctors have spotted traces of thallium in Litvinenko’s blood. Litvinenko will probably have to go through the bone marrow transplantation and his chances of recovering are 50:50.
“Just imagine the condition of a man who has eaten nothing for about 20 days. What’s more, the doctors say his immune system is completely disabled. It is the crisis now, and if Alexander [Litvinenko] endures these few days, everything will be OK,” said political emigrant Boris Berezovsky, who visited Alexander Litvinenko in hospital past Friday.
The name of the hospital, where Litvinenko is being treated now, is kept a secret. The doctors say his chances of recovering are 50:50 and he will probably have to go through the bone marrow transplantation. Police interrogate Litvinenko each day. “He can speak, but gets tied very soon,” Berezovsky said.
According to the doctors, Litvinenko was poisoned by thallium, which is the highly toxic metal. In addition to thallium, the poison contains some other toxic substances, which names haven’t been identified yet.
Former officer of Federal Security Service and political emigrant Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned November 1 when meeting one of informers, Mario Scaramella of Italy, in the London Itsu Suchi restaurant. From Scaramella, Litvinenko received documents related to murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Litvinenko doesn't think Scaramella was involved in attempted murder.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 20, 2006
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