Editing Vladimir Putin (section)

=== United Kingdom ===
[[File:Vladimir Putin and Prince Philip.jpg|thumb|Putin and his wife [[Lyudmila Putina|Lyudmila]] meeting with Queen [[Elizabeth II]], her husband [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], and Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]] in 2005]]
In 2003, [[Russia–United Kingdom relations|relations between Russia and the United Kingdom]] deteriorated when the United Kingdom granted political asylum to Putin's former patron, [[Russian oligarch|oligarch]] [[Boris Berezovsky (businessman)|Boris Berezovsky]].<ref name=expul /> This deterioration was intensified by allegations that the British were spying and making secret payments to pro-democracy and human rights groups.<ref name="spy-rock">{{#invoke:cite|news|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16614209 |title = UK spied on Russians with fake rock |work =[[BBC News]] |access-date = 25 November 2015 }}</ref> A survey conducted in the United Kingdom in 2022 found Putin to be among the least popular foreign leaders, with 8% of British respondents holding a positive opinion.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Vladimir Putin popularity & fame |url = https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/explore/public_figure/Vladimir_Putin |website = YouGov |access-date = 6 April 2022 }}</ref>

==== Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko ====
{{Main|Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko}}

The end of 2006 brought more strained relations in the wake of the death by [[polonium]] poisoning in London of former KGB and [[Federal Security Service|FSB]] officer [[Alexander Litvinenko]], who became an [[Secret Intelligence Service|MI6]] agent in 2003. In 2007, the crisis in relations continued with the expulsion of four Russian [[diplomat|envoys]] over Russia's refusal to extradite former KGB bodyguard [[Andrei Lugovoi]] to face charges in the murder.<ref name="expul">{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Brown Defends Russian Expulsions, Decries Killings |author1 = Gonzalo Vina |author2 = Sebastian Alison |name-list-style = amp |url = https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=ajvS9NfMW2EE&refer=uk |publisher = Bloomberg News |date = 20 July 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930035325/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=ajvS9NfMW2EE&refer=uk |archive-date = 30 September 2007 }}</ref> Mirroring the British actions, Russia expelled UK diplomats and took other retaliatory steps.<ref name=expul />

In 2015, the British Government launched a [[public inquiry]] into Litvinenko's death, presided over by [[Robert Owen (judge)|Robert Owen]], a former British High Court judge.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/21/litvinenko-inquiry-the-key-players |title = Litvinenko inquiry: the key players|last=Harding|first=Luke|date = 21 January 2016 |newspaper = [[The Guardian]] |location = London |access-date = 5 May 2022 }}</ref> The Owen report, published on 21 January 2016, stated, "The FSB operation to kill Mr. Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr [[Nikolai Patrushev|Patrushev]] and also by President Putin".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Full Report of the Litvinenko Inquiry |date = 21 January 2016 |work = [[The New York Times]] |url = https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/21/world/europe/100000004158141.mobile.html }}</ref> The report outlined some possible motives for the murder, including Litvinenko's public statements and [[Blowing Up Russia|books]] about [[Russian apartment bombings|the alleged involvement of the FSB in mass murder]], and what was "undoubtedly a personal dimension to the antagonism" between Putin and Litvinenko.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last1 = Holden |first1 = Michael |title = Russia's Putin probably approved London murder of ex-KGB agent Litvinenko: UK inquiry |url = https://www.reuters.com/article/cnews-us-britain-russia-litvinenko-idCAKCN0UZ0Z6 |access-date = 5 May 2022 |work = Reuters |date = 21 January 2016 |language = en }}</ref>

==== Poisoning of Sergei Skripal ====
{{Main|Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal}}

On 4 March 2018, former double agent [[Sergei Skripal]] was poisoned with a [[Novichok agent|Novichok nerve agent]] in [[Salisbury]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/07/russian-spy-police-appeal-for-witnesses-as-cobra-meeting-takes-place |title = Sergei Skripal: former Russian spy poisoned with nerve agent, say police |last1 = Dodd |first1 = Vikram |last2 = Harding |first2 = Luke |date = 8 March 2018 |website =[[The Guardian]] |access-date = 17 March 2018 |last3 = MacAskill |first3 = Ewen }}</ref> Ten days later, the British government formally accused the Russian state of attempted murder, a charge which Russia denied.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/14/uk-spy-poisoning-russia-tells-un-it-did-not-make-nerve-agent-used-in-attack |title = Spy poisoning: allies back UK and blast Russia at UN security council |last = Borger |first = Julian |date = 15 March 2018 |website =[[The Guardian]] |access-date = 17 March 2018 }}</ref> After the UK expelled 23 Russian diplomats (an action which would later be responded to with a Russian expulsion of 23 British diplomats),<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/17/sergei-skripal-russia-expels-23-british-diplomats |title = Sergei Skripal: Russia expels 23 UK diplomats as row deepens |last1 = Grierson |first1 = Jamie |last2 = Wintour |first2 = Patrick |date = 17 March 2018 |website =[[The Guardian]] |access-date = 17 March 2018 }}</ref> British [[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]] [[Boris Johnson]] said on 16 March that it was "overwhelmingly likely" Putin had personally ordered the poisoning of Skripal. Putin's spokesman [[Dmitry Peskov]] called the allegation "shocking and unpardonable diplomatic misconduct".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/west-unites-to-confront-russia-over-poisonings-n88qmsttf|title=Johnson points finger at Putin for Salisbury spy attack|first1=Fiona|last1=Hamilton|first2=Tom|last2=Parfitt|first3=Sam|last3=Coates|first4=Rhys|last4=Blakely|first5=Lucy|last5=Fisher|website=[[The Times]]|access-date=17 March 2018}}</ref>