The Litvinenko Inquiry

The Litvinenko Inquiry
Chapter 4: Did Alexander Litvinenko fall out with
and/or attempt to blackmail Boris
Berezovsky?
5.30 Item 17 of the Inquiry’s List of Issues refers to the “possible involvement of Boris
Berezovsky in Alexander Litvinenko’s death”.
5.31 This issue arises from allegations that have been made principally, but not solely,
by Andrey Lugovoy. Put very shortly, the allegation is that Mr Litvinenko fell out with
Mr Berezovsky about money in the months before he died, that he then tried to
blackmail Mr Berezovsky, and that as a result Mr Berezovsky ordered his killing.
5.32 This allegation was advanced by Mr Lugovoy at the press conference that he held
in Moscow on 31 May 2007. He told the press that he had three explanations for
Mr Litvinenko’s death. The first two were that Mr Litvinenko had been killed by UK
agencies or by the Russian mafia. His third explanation, which he said seemed to him
to be “the most plausible”, was as follows:
“I am talking about Berezovsky who is known as an outstanding master of political
intrigue. Litvinenko told me, that Berezovsky in fact sacked him by decreasing
his salary threefold. Lately both Sasha and Berezovsky thought that the Office
of the Russian Federation Procurator General and the British will come to an
understanding and Berezovsky will be extradited to Russia.
In this connection I would like to tell you what Sasha had told Dmitry Kovtun not
long before his death, when we met together in October of last year. During our
dinner at one of the Chinatown restaurants in London, Litvinenko, enlarging on the
subject of ways to make money, touched upon the resumed negotiations between
Russia and the UK regarding Berezovsky’s extradition. Lamenting the fact that
Berezovsky did not appreciate the services rendered to him by Litvinenko, who
allegedly saved his life more than once, Litvinenko told Kovtun, that he had the
most important materials of a compromising nature, regarding the illegal activity
of Berezovsky on the UK territory. If any part of the documents pertaining to the
circumstances of his obtaining the refugee status were to be made public, then
he (Berezovsky) would have huge problems. Litvinenko hinted to Dima, that
especially now, when Russia raised an issue with the UK of extraditing Berezovsky,
it would be very opportune to let Berezovsky know that such materials exist, and
to put a value of several million dollars on them. Still being financially dependent
on Berezovsky – Berezovsky was paying his son’s tuition fees and the family’s
accommodation in London – Litvinenko asked Kovtun to find a reliable person,
whom he would introduce to Berezovsky, which person would be able to familiarise
Berezovsky with the materials, compromising him. Litvinenko was absolutely sure
of the success of this enterprise, referring to the explosive nature and authenticity
of the compromising materials that he possessed. Since the conversation took
place when I left the table, Litvinenko asked Kovtun to keep that conversation
between them, fearing that I, as a person who could contact Berezovsky at any
point, would expose Litvinenko’s idea to him.
Not willing to participate in all that even indirectly, not taking Litvinenko seriously,
Kovtun and I decided it prudent to forget this conversation as soon as possible.
However recalling now the details of my meetings with Litvinenko, his conviction
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