European rights court rules Russia was behind Litvinenko killing

The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday that Russia was responsible for the 2006 killing of Alexander Litvinenko who died an agonising death after he was poisoned in London with Polonium 210, a rare radioactive isotope.

"Russia was responsible for assassination of Aleksandr Litvinenko in the UK," the court said in a statement on its ruling. After moving to Britain, Litvinenko, a former FSB officer and whistleblower, become a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.