One of Russia’s most notorious “poisoners” who allegedly killed an enemy of Vladimir Putin has died from Covid.
Britain accused Dmitry Kovtun of being involved in the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006.
Kovtun died in a Moscow hospital aged 56 after being struck by Covid, according to Russian news agency TASS.
He was accused with ex-FSB operative Andrei Lugovoy, now a ultranationalist MP, of spiking Litvinenko’s tea with polonium-210 in a Mayfair hotel in London.
After the poisoning allegation, there remained questions about businessman Kovtun’s health.
His death at an early age is likely to increase speculation that Kovtun, who had served in the secret services, suffered longterm health damage in administering the poison.
Speaking on Saturday, Lugovoy, 55, said: “This is an irreplaceable and difficult loss for us.
"Today we have the sad news that my close and loyal friend Dmitry Kovtun passed away suddenly as a result of a serious illness linked to a coronavirus infection.
“From the bottom of my heart I express my deepest condolences to all of Dima’s [Dmitry’s] relatives and friends. Sleep well, dear friend! We will never forget you.”
Kovtun and Lugovoy always denied involvement in poising Litvinenko, but Britain believed the assassination had been ordered by Putin or his circle.
A trail of the radioactive agent led back to Moscow and to Germany, where Kovtun was based at the time, on plane seats.
Both men were subject to sanctions but Russia always refused to extradite them to face justice in the UK.
Kovtun was far more low profile than Lugovoy who enjoys a prominent political career.
In 2017 when sanctions were imposed on him by the US, Kovtun said he "lives in Russia and is not going to leave".
Litvinenko died aged 43 in London after drinking green tea laced with Polonium-210 at the plush Millennium Hotel in Mayfair.
He died in intensive care on 23 November 2006, more than three weeks after the initial poisoning.
Three days before he died an infamous photo of him was released, lying in bed without hair.
