The Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko

ESMS ‘Lunch & Learn’ series.
Date | Friday 26th April, 2019 – 12.00
Venue | ESMS Offices, London Bridge.

Why not join us for a fascinating discussion and learn the facts about one of the most gripping real-life espionage dramas in modern times.

Litvinenko was a former officer of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and KGB, who fled from court prosecution in Russia and received political asylum in the United Kingdom. On 1 November 2006, Litvinenko suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized. He died three weeks later, becoming the first confirmed victim of lethal polonium-210-induced acute radiation syndrome.

Litvinenko’s allegations about the misdeeds of the FSB and his public deathbed accusations that Russian president Vladimir Putin was behind his unusual malady resulted in worldwide media coverage.

Subsequent investigations by British authorities into the circumstances of Litvinenko’s death led to serious diplomatic difficulties between the British and Russian governments. No charges were ever laid but a non-judicial public hearing was put on in 2014–2015, during which the Scotland Yard representative witnessed that “the evidence suggests that the only credible explanation is in one way or another the Russian state is involved in Litvinenko’s murder”.

Another witness stated that Dmitry Kovtun had been speaking openly about the plan to kill Litvinenko that was intended to “set an example” as a punishment for a “traitor”. The main suspect in the case, a former officer of the Russian Federal Protective Service (FSO), Andrey Lugovoy, remains in Russia.

Guy’s Poison Unit was involved in the case and Prof Paul Dargan, one of the country’s leading Toxicologists and member of the ESMS Clinical Board, presented the findings at the EAPCCT conference in Basel.

After years of silence, Prof Dargan is now able to tell the world about what really happened!

To register your interest in this discussion and for further information, please Contact Us

Lunch will be provided on the day.