The assassination of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy turned Kremlin critic, unfolded in London in November 2006. Litvinenko, a vocal opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, ingested a lethal dose of polonium-210, a radioactive substance, during a meeting at a London hotel. The poisoning led to his excruciating death three weeks later. British authorities identified two Russian nationals, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun, as the prime suspects and issued arrest warrants. The case strained relations between the United Kingdom and Russia, with the British government accusing Russia of state-sponsored murder, while Russia denied any involvement. The Litvinenko assassination sparked international outrage and prompted investigations into the use of radioactive substances as a means of assassination.
