Litvinenko inquiry continues

British police suspect that Kovtun and Andrei Lugovoi, both Russian nationals, killed Alexander Litvinenko, an ex-KGB spy turned British informant, who died of polonium-210 poisoning in London in 2006. Russia has, however, refused to extradite them.

Lugovoi insists he will not testify in the inquiry, which started in late January. Kovtun initially also declined, but signaled that he would cooperate in March. He was due to start giving evidence via video link from Moscow on Monday.

Last week, however, he abruptly changed his mind, claiming that he was not in a position to testify in the UK inquiry, as he was bound by an obligation of confidentiality to an ongoing Russian investigation into Litvinenko's death. He claimed that if he appeared without the permission of the Russian authorities he would be committing an offense.

Inquiry judge Robert Owen said Kovtun's last-minute change of stance gave rise to "the gravest suspicion that an attempt is being made to manipulate the situation." He has previously warned Kovtun not to try to delay the inquiry.

Owen has given Kovtun until Tuesday morning 09:00 a.m. UK time (0800 UTC) to agree to testify. Otherwise, the inquiry would conclude without his statement, Owen warned.

Litvinenko died on November 23, 2006, three weeks after drinking green tea laced with polonium-210, a radioactive poison, while in the company of Kovtun and Lugovoi in London's Millenium Hotel.

On his deathbed in a London hospital, Litvinenko accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering his assassination, and British authorities have also alleged that the Russian state was involved, an accusation Moscow denies.

His murder has soured British-Russian political relations, which ground to a halt and which have deteriorated even further since the pro-Russian offensive in Ukraine.

ng/kms (AP, Reuters, dpa)