Editing Vladimir Putin (section)

==== 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>