The Litvinenko Inquiry

The Litvinenko Inquiry
Chapter 2: Leaving Russia
3.75 The evidence I have received suggests that Mr Litvinenko became increasingly
concerned for his safety and that of his family in Russia during 2000.
3.76 Mr Felshtinsky gave evidence about a meeting that he had with General Khokholkov,
the former head of URPO, in Moscow in May 2000. According to Mr Felshtinsky,
his purpose in speaking with General Khokholkov was to try to establish whether
the authorities would let Mr Litvinenko leave Russia, in particular now that he had
served nine months or so in prison. General Khokholkov’s response, as reported by
Mr Felshtinsky, was uncompromising:
“He told me that nine months, or whatever, is nothing, that Litvinenko committed
treason, that he is going to… prison anyway, and if he [i.e. Khokholkov] actually
sees him by chance, you know, somewhere in a dark corner, he would kill him with
his own hands.”
Mr Felshtinsky explained that General Kohkholkov had gestured with his hands as
he had said this – he said that, “Khokholkov hated Litvinenko very much, and…
considered him… a person who committed treason, this is for sure.” 63
3.77 Mr Felshtinsky immediately reported this conversation to Mr Litvinenko, and told him
that he should consider leaving Russia. 64
3.78 Nor was this the only threat that Mr Litvinenko received. Marina Litvinenko said that
her husband had been approached by an FSB colonel who had said words to the
following effect: “We will not continue discussions with you, we will kill you, to be clear
we will kill your six year old son… you are being prosecuted not for any crimes that
you may have committed. Everybody knows that you did not commit them. You are
being prosecuted for betraying the system and openly acting against the system.” 65
3.79 Marina Litvinenko also gave evidence that when the third set of charges was brought
against Mr Litvinenko in early 2000, they were told that the case would be heard not
in Moscow, as with the first two sets of proceedings, but in Yaroslavl, some 300km
from Moscow. They were also told that the trial would be closed to the press and
the public. Their concern was that, away from the public attention that the earlier
proceedings had received in Moscow, the authorities would be able to implement
what Mr Litvinenko believed to have been the direct order to “put him in prison and
never let him… out”. 66
3.80 It would appear that it was a combination of all these fears that led Mr Litvinenko to
decide to leave Russia for good. Mr Felshtinsky’s evidence was that Mr Litvinenko had
decided to leave Russia by the time of a meeting between the two men in Moscow
on 24 September 2000, at which they discussed Mr Litvinenko’s proposed escape. 67
3.81 This was not, however, a decision that Mr Litvinenko initially shared with his wife
or his son. Mrs Litvinenko’s evidence was that in September 2000 (presumably in
late September, after his meeting with Mr Felshtinsky), Mr Litvinenko suddenly left
Moscow for Nalchik, saying that he was flying to Nalchik to visit relatives. 68
63
Felshtinsky 23/141
64
Felshtinsky 23/143 lines 14-17
65
INQ017734 (page 22 paragraph 76); Marina Litvinenko 4/101
66
INQ017734 (page 12 paragraph 43); Marina Litvinenko 3/90-91
67
Felshtinsky 23/143-144
68
Marina Litvinenko 3/94-95; Felshtinsky 23/145 lines 13-16
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