Litvinenko's 'killer' honoured by Putin: Russian president gives medal for 'services to the motherland' to man accused of killing dissident in London 

  • Russia honours the man believed to have poisoned Alexander Litvinenko 
  • Putin gave Andrey Lugovoy a medal for his 'services to the motherland' 
  • Lugovoy is believed to have poisoned dissident with polonium in London

By Will Stewart For The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Vladimir Putin honoured the man Scotland Yard believes poisoned dissident Alexander Litvinenko (pictured) with polonium in London

Vladimir Putin honoured the man Scotland Yard believes poisoned dissident Alexander Litvinenko (pictured) with polonium in London

Vladimir Putin yesterday honoured the man Scotland Yard believes poisoned dissident Alexander Litvinenko with polonium in London.

Andrey Lugovoy, 48, was given a medal for 'services to the motherland' as the UK holds a public inquiry into the 2006 killing of Mr Litvinenko.

Putin had blocked the extradition of Lugovoy, a former secret-service operative who is now an MP with the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party.

The Russian president also gave the Order of Honour to Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya. The award came as Kadyrov admitted knowing the man who has confessed to killing Putin critic Boris Nemtsov in Moscow.

Kadyrov appeared to defend the suspect Zaur Dadayev by calling him a 'true patriot' and a 'deeply religious man'. 

Opposition politician Ilya Yashin said Putin was sending a signal: 'These are my people, do not touch them.' 

Kadyrov received his state award for 'work achievements, strenuous social activities and long conscientious service', but it comes amid claims that even some senior Russian officials are worried about the sway held by the Chechen.

Lugovoy holds the post of deputy chairman of the Russian parliament's security and anti-corruption committee. 

He is chief suspect in the murder of former secret agent Mr Litvinenko, who from his death bed accused Putin of ordering his killing.

Putin revealed yesterday that he held an all-night conclave of his defence and secret services cardinals ahead of his order last year to restore Crimea to Russia.

In a trailer for a new TV documentary, he admitted calling his security chiefs to the Kremlin for a secret meeting to order them to save the life of deposed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych.

Andrey Lugovoy (pictured), 48, was given a medal for 'services to the motherland' as the UK holds a public inquiry into the 2006 killing of Mr Litvinenko

Andrey Lugovoy (pictured), 48, was given a medal for 'services to the motherland' as the UK holds a public inquiry into the 2006 killing of Mr Litvinenko

The Russians allege the West was complicit in the toppling of pro-Moscow Yanukovych so threatening Russia's national security.

'I invited the leaders of our special services and the defence ministry to the Kremlin and set them the task of saving the life of the president of Ukraine, who would simply have been liquidated,' said Putin.

'We finished about seven in the morning. When we were parting, I told all my colleagues, "We are forced to begin the work to bring Crimea back into Russia".'

Vladimir PutinRussia

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