Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko

The 2006 assassination of former Russian security officer Alexander Litvinenko in London by polonium-210 poisoning, which caused his death three weeks after exposure.

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Polonium-210: A radioactive isotope of polonium that decays by emitting alpha particles. Litvinenko ingested this isotope, whose decay caused lethal internal radiation exposure.
Andrey Lugovoy: A former Russian security officer and businessman whom a British inquiry found responsible for Litvinenko’s murder. The inquiry concluded that Lugovoy administered the polonium-210 with Dmitry Kovtun.
United Kingdom–Russia relations: The diplomatic and political relationship between the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation. The poisoning triggered a severe crisis in relations between the two governments.
Novichok poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal: The 2018 poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury with a Novichok nerve agent. It was another high-profile poisoning in Britain attributed by British authorities to Russian actors.
Alpha decay: A radioactive decay process in which an atomic nucleus emits a helium-4 nucleus. Polonium-210’s alpha emissions damaged tissue after the isotope entered Litvinenko’s body.
Millennium Hotel poisoning: The poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko with polonium-210 at London’s Millennium Hotel in November 2006. A meeting at the hotel preceded Litvinenko’s illness and left key contamination evidence.
Diplomatic expulsion: A state’s removal of foreign diplomats from its territory, often in response to a dispute. Britain and Russia expelled diplomats after the murder and the ensuing investigation.
Poisoning of Viktor Yushchenko: The 2004 dioxin poisoning of Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko. It involved a toxic chemical rather than a radioactive isotope and had a different political context.
Acute radiation syndrome: A serious illness caused by high doses of ionizing radiation received over a short period. Litvinenko’s progressive illness followed severe internal radiation exposure.
Litvinenko inquiry: The British public inquiry into the circumstances of Alexander Litvinenko’s death, published in 2016. It reconstructed the operation and assessed the likely involvement of Russian state authorities.