By guest host Jane Clayson:
The death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko is reading like a who-done-it fictional thriller. Last month, Litvinenko was poisoned by the radioactive substance Polonium 210. Before he died in London, he named Russia President Vladimir Putin as the culprit — which the Kremlin called absurd.
Meanwhile, traces of polonium have been found in numerous spots in London and two people who had contact with Litvinenko have tested positive for exposure. Scotland Yard and even the FBI are looking for the Who What When Where and Why, and the whole spy-saga is raising bigger questions: about the machinations of modern-day Russia and its relationship with the West.
This hour On Point — the fallout from the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko.
Quotes from the Show:
“It’s a little quick to say without more evidence as to who might have done this.” Peter Baker
“This tells you a lot about to expect in the run-up to the transfer of power in Russia in 2008.” Dmitri Trenin
“The technology is very reminiscent of the Cold War days.” Dmitri Trenin
“I would be very dubious if we ever find out who poisoned Litvinenko.” Peter Baker
“We [human rights activists in Russia] do feel more vulnerable today. It’s a very unpleasant feeling.” Tanya Lokshina
Guests:
Arkady Ostrovsky, Reporter for the Financial Times
Dmitri Trenin, Deputy Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center and Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Peter Baker, former Moscow Correspondent for the Washington Post and co-author of “Kremlin Rising: Vladimir Putin’s Russia and the End of Revolution”
Tanya Lokshina, runs the Moscow-based human rights think-tank “Demos.”
