The Cold War may have ended but poisonings, shootings and the attempted murder of former Soviet residents living in Britain continue.
Since the Cold War, disputes emanating from the former Soviet bloc have been played out with deadly consequences on British soil.
Bringing those responsible to justice, however, is fraught with difficulty and has repeatedly become the subject of diplomatic spats between Britain and Russia.
September 1978 Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian dissident, was waiting for a bus on Waterloo Bridge when he was stabbed with an umbrella tip containing ricin. He died three days later.
Francesco Giullino, a Dane of Italian origin who worked for the Bulgarian secret service, is the chief suspect. He denies involvement.
Francesco Giullino, a Dane of Italian origin who worked for the Bulgarian secret service, is the chief suspect. He denies involvement.
November 2006 Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy, died after drinking tea laced with polonium-210 at a five-star hotel in central London. He died in hospital from radiation poisoning 22 days later.
Scotland Yard said that it would charge Andrei Lugovoi, a former KGB officer and now a Russian MP, with murder if he was in Britain.
Scotland Yard said that it would charge Andrei Lugovoi, a former KGB officer and now a Russian MP, with murder if he was in Britain.
November 2007 Oleg Gordievsky, a former KGB colonel and MI6 double agent who defected to Britain in July 1985, claimed that he was poisoned at his home in Surrey.
Mr Gordievsky spent 34 hours unconscious in hospital and later said he had been poisoned with thallium by “rogue elements in Moscow”.
Mr Gordievsky spent 34 hours unconscious in hospital and later said he had been poisoned with thallium by “rogue elements in Moscow”.
February 2008 Arkady 'Badri’ Patarkatsishvili, a Georgian billionaire and business partner of Mr Berezovsky, died of a suspected heart attack in his Surrey mansion.
A month before his death he ran in the Georgian presidential elections, coming third. He has been linked to fraud allegations, political scandals and assassinations.
March 2012 German Gorbuntsov, a Russian businessman and banker, was left in a coma after being shot by a man armed with a machinegun outside his home on the Isle of Dogs.
Mr Gorbuntsov has since recovered and spoken of his determination to defy his enemies by continuing to live and work in London.
November 2012 Alexander Perepilichnyy, a Russian businessman turned supergrass, died while jogging near his home in St George’s Hill, Surrey.
He had been assisting Swiss prosecutors in a money-laundering investigation involving Russian officials.
The cause of Mr Perepilichnyy’s death remains a mystery.
A month before his death he ran in the Georgian presidential elections, coming third. He has been linked to fraud allegations, political scandals and assassinations.
March 2012 German Gorbuntsov, a Russian businessman and banker, was left in a coma after being shot by a man armed with a machinegun outside his home on the Isle of Dogs.
Mr Gorbuntsov has since recovered and spoken of his determination to defy his enemies by continuing to live and work in London.
November 2012 Alexander Perepilichnyy, a Russian businessman turned supergrass, died while jogging near his home in St George’s Hill, Surrey.
He had been assisting Swiss prosecutors in a money-laundering investigation involving Russian officials.
The cause of Mr Perepilichnyy’s death remains a mystery.
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