MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. Russian lawmaker Andrey Lugovoy considered an accomplice in the murder of former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko by Britain, takes with a pinch of irony the British Home Office’s plans for freezing his bank accounts in the country. "I’ve never had any accounts there," he said.
"Taking more sanctions against me is just impossible. Every conceivable restriction has long been imposed," Lugovoy said on the Russian News Service radio station.
"As for their statements to the effect they have frozen our assets and our, Dmitry Kovtun’s and mine, accounts abroad, they make me smile, first and foremost because I’ve never had any there," Lugovoy said.
Andrey Lugovoy is currently a member of the State Duma from the Liberal Democratic party and under Russian legislation he is not allowed to have any financial assets outside Russia by virtue of his status.
On Thursday, London saw the presentation of a report on the results of the so-called public inquiry into the Litvinenko affair. It claimed that Russia was involved in the death of the former FSB officer and that two Russians - Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun - were the ones who put the man to death. The report said, though, the court was unable to confirm Russian origin of polonium - the substance that according to British forensic experts had been used to poison Litvinenko.
The judge also suggested the "operation to kill Mr Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr Patrushev and also by President Putin."
The Russian ambassador was summoned to the British Foreign Office, and Prime Minister David Cameron did not rule out the possibility of more sanctions against Russia.
Moscow is certain that London’s actions regarding the Litvinenko affair have a political side to it.
Alexander Litvinenko, who had been granted political asylum in Britain, died in London on November 23, 2006. Forensic examination found that he had been poisoned with polonium, but the circumstances and details of his death have not been established yet and remain a great controversy.