10 July 2007
The Crown Prosecution Service has received the formal response from the Russian authorities to its request that Andrey Lugovoy be extradited for the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Ken Macdonald, QC, said: "The Russian response has now been conveyed to us and the Russian authorities have declined to extradite Andrey Lugovoy. They have said that they are prepared to put Mr Lugovoy on trial in Russia if the evidence is forwarded to them.
"The allegation against Mr Lugovoy is that he murdered a British citizen by deliberate poisoning and that he committed this extraordinarily grave crime here in our capital city. The appropriate venue for his trial is therefore London."
Notes to Editors
1. The CPS announced its decision to seek the extradition of Andrey Lugovoy on 22 May 2207.
2. The formal response from the Russian authorities was received on 9 July 2007.
3. For further information contact CPS Press Office, 020 7796 8127.
http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/142_07.html