The Assassination of Alexander Litvinenko

Who was Alexander Litvinenko? Why might Putin have wanted him dead? And how did an audacious assassination plot leave a radioactive trail across London? This is the full story of the Alexander Litvinenko assassination: his fallout with Vladimir Putin, the Russian agents sent to London, the deadly use of polonium-210, and the race by British police and doctors to uncover what was killing him. David and Gordon investigate a story of espionage, exile, radioactive poison, and Marina Litvinenko’s long fight for justice - one of the most shocking assassinations in modern British history. 00:00 Alexander Litvinenko: the spy poisoned in London 01:03 HP 02:12 Why this story still matters 04:30 Who was Alexander Litvinenko? 10:21 Boris Berezovsky enters the story 15:52 Chechnya, corruption and a changing worldview 22:54 Litvinenko meets Vladimir Putin 27:03 The press conference that made him a target 29:37 Prison, Putin’s rise and the 1999 bombings 32:59 Escaping Russia 37:13 A new life in London 40:17 Blowing Up Russia and the allegations against the FSB 45:24 Londongrad, dirty money and due diligence 51:18 Litvinenko’s links to MI6 54:46 Lugovoi and Kovtun enter the story 1:13:00 Why Moscow may have wanted him dead 1:18:00 The final weeks begin 1:20:07 The first failed poisoning attempt 1:29:01 The alleged assassins return to London 1:35:07 November 1st: the day of the poisoning 1:38:52 The Pine Bar and the poisoned tea 1:44:17 Litvinenko falls ill 1:50:00 Doctors search for answers 1:55:00 Scotland Yard investigates a living murder victim 2:10:00 The iconic hospital photo and final hours 2:15:00 Polonium-210 is discovered 2:20:00 Following the radioactive trail 2:30:01 The nuclear teapot 2:35:00 Questioning Lugovoi and Kovtun 2:45:00 The struggle for justice 2:55:00 Marina Litvinenko’s campaign 3:00:06 What the inquiry found 3:05:00 Did Putin approve the murder? 3:10:01 Russia’s history of poisonings 3:15:01 Berezovsky and the aftermath 3:24:00 What the Litvinenko case changed ----------------- ➡️ Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to https://therestisclassified.com 🔓 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 🗞️ Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tri... ------------------ Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ✅ Subscribe Here:    / @restisclassifiedsub_confirmation=1   🎙️ Listen To The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/triclassified -------------------------------------- 📱 Follow Us On Socials: Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/restisclass... TikTok: /   / restisclassified   Twitter: / https://x.com/triclassified -------------------------------------- 📩 Email: [email protected] -------------------------------------- Video Editor: Joe Pettit Social Producer: Emma Jackson Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor