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Jammin909
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,,1952866,00.html
Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in his hospital bed after he was poisoned.
Photographs of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in a London hospital were released today, revealing the extent of his injuries for the first time since he was poisoned.
The images show Mr Litvinenko sitting up in his hospital bed at University College London, where he is being treated for the effects of thallium, a rat poison that attacks the central nervous system.
His family gave permission for the pictures to be released to show the effects of what they believe was a deliberate poisoning. He has lost all his hair and looks far older than his 44 years.
Article continues
It emerged today that the former spy was moved into intensive care overnight as a "precautionary measure" after his condition deteriorated.
Mr Litvinenko, a former colonel in the FSB - successor to the KGB - and fierce critic of the Russian president Vladimir Putin, collapsed after a meeting with an Italian man in a sushi bar in central London on November 1.
The Kremlin today dismissed allegations that the Russian government was involved in the poisoning.
Dmitry Peskov, a senior spokesman, said: "We don't consider it possible to comment on the statements accusing the Kremlin because it is nothing but sheer nonsense."
Mr Litvinenko had been investigating the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya and was said to have received documents that claimed to name her killers.
Friends have said that he met two Russian men - one a former KGB officer - for tea at a hotel in London shortly before his meeting at the sushi bar.
Doctors initially thought he had food poisoning but tests revealed he had been poisoned with thallium.
The former spy, who is under 24-hour armed guard, has been unable to eat since the suspected attack at the beginning of the month and is having to be fed intravenously.
Doctors said there was a risk of heart and kidney failure and gave him only a 50/50 chance of survival.
Scotland Yard today confirmed that it was treating the case as a suspected deliberate poisoning.
A spokesman said the investigation was in its "early stages" and there had been no arrests.
Detectives were examining Mr Litvinenko's movements around the time of the poisoning, including any meeting he might have had before or after his appointment at the sushi restaurant.
It emerged today that Mr Litvinenko, who was granted asylum and citizenship after defecting to Britain six years ago, had been targeted in a previous attack in London two years ago.
A petrol bomb thrown at his home exploded, damaging the front of the property.
Alex Golfarb, who brought Mr Litvinenko to Britain and is also a fierce critic of the Russian government, visited him in hospital again today.
He told reporters that he believed his friend would pull through because he is such a "strong willed" person.
"It is a very hard sight to see. Just a month ago he was a fit, vigorous and handsome man who was exercising and running five miles a day but now he is in this condition in hospital fighting for his life," he said.
He said his friend had been able to speak to detectives this morning about the case.
"His speech is a little bit distorted but he can speak without pain and he has been interviewed by the police and has just been seen by detectives," Mr Golfarb said.
Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in his hospital bed after he was poisoned.
Photographs of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in a London hospital were released today, revealing the extent of his injuries for the first time since he was poisoned.
The images show Mr Litvinenko sitting up in his hospital bed at University College London, where he is being treated for the effects of thallium, a rat poison that attacks the central nervous system.
His family gave permission for the pictures to be released to show the effects of what they believe was a deliberate poisoning. He has lost all his hair and looks far older than his 44 years.
Article continues
It emerged today that the former spy was moved into intensive care overnight as a "precautionary measure" after his condition deteriorated.
Mr Litvinenko, a former colonel in the FSB - successor to the KGB - and fierce critic of the Russian president Vladimir Putin, collapsed after a meeting with an Italian man in a sushi bar in central London on November 1.
The Kremlin today dismissed allegations that the Russian government was involved in the poisoning.
Dmitry Peskov, a senior spokesman, said: "We don't consider it possible to comment on the statements accusing the Kremlin because it is nothing but sheer nonsense."
Mr Litvinenko had been investigating the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya and was said to have received documents that claimed to name her killers.
Friends have said that he met two Russian men - one a former KGB officer - for tea at a hotel in London shortly before his meeting at the sushi bar.
Doctors initially thought he had food poisoning but tests revealed he had been poisoned with thallium.
The former spy, who is under 24-hour armed guard, has been unable to eat since the suspected attack at the beginning of the month and is having to be fed intravenously.
Doctors said there was a risk of heart and kidney failure and gave him only a 50/50 chance of survival.
Scotland Yard today confirmed that it was treating the case as a suspected deliberate poisoning.
A spokesman said the investigation was in its "early stages" and there had been no arrests.
Detectives were examining Mr Litvinenko's movements around the time of the poisoning, including any meeting he might have had before or after his appointment at the sushi restaurant.
It emerged today that Mr Litvinenko, who was granted asylum and citizenship after defecting to Britain six years ago, had been targeted in a previous attack in London two years ago.
A petrol bomb thrown at his home exploded, damaging the front of the property.
Alex Golfarb, who brought Mr Litvinenko to Britain and is also a fierce critic of the Russian government, visited him in hospital again today.
He told reporters that he believed his friend would pull through because he is such a "strong willed" person.
"It is a very hard sight to see. Just a month ago he was a fit, vigorous and handsome man who was exercising and running five miles a day but now he is in this condition in hospital fighting for his life," he said.
He said his friend had been able to speak to detectives this morning about the case.
"His speech is a little bit distorted but he can speak without pain and he has been interviewed by the police and has just been seen by detectives," Mr Golfarb said.
The less you know, the more you believe.
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