i'm joined now by marina litvinenko whose husband alexander litvinenko was poisoned in london in 2006vist bill browder, who was once one of the biggest foreign investors in russia and later became an anti—corruption campaigner and one of vladimir putin's fiercest critics, joins us from munich where he has been for the munich security conference. and also remotely, former british ambassador to russia sir tony brenton and the exiled russian novelist boris akunin. welcome to you all. thank you so much for coming on newsnight. boris akunin, if i could stop with you, you knew alexei navalny, please tell us what he was like.— tell us what he was like. i knew him for about 12 — tell us what he was like. i knew him for about 12 years, _ tell us what he was like. i knew him for about 12 years, so _ tell us what he was like. i knew him for about 12 years, so this _ tell us what he was like. i knew him for about 12 years, so this is - tell us what he was like. i knew him for about 12 years, so this is a - for about 12 years, so this is a personal loss for me as well. he was very lovable, everybo

his wife, marina litvinenko, says the world must respond to navalny�*s death.dly can talk for the whole week, even more. ijust couldn't believe if anybody wanted to hear my voice, what can i tell people? but she did the right things, because her husband was so well—known in russia, abroad. she needs to keep his words alive. she is now his voice. i want people to support her, help her family, because as long as she will be able to talk, she will drive this attention and everybody will remember alexei. it was shocking news because i have a tiny hope alexei navalny will survive. when putin's resume collapsed, alexei navalny would be able to get out of prison and started his political career. i'm not saying he became a leader of new russia, but he could have a chance to do it. unfortunately, it was a dream, and now we all have to agree putin has another person who he wanted to kill. i am sure now, after what happened, the international community needs to be more strong. and not make only good words to say how they regret and sympathise for the family, but making re

the widow of alexander litvinenko has also been responding to the death of alexi navalny.o was a russian spy who then became a british citizen, and was fatally poisoned in london in 2006. the european court of human rights found russia was responsible for his killing and the uk said it was probably approved by vladimir putin. russia has always denied any involvement in his murder. marina litvinenko says the world must respond to navalny�*s death when my husband died, i hardly can talk for a week, even more. ijust couldn't believe if anybody want to kill my voice, what can i tell people? but you did the right things, because your husband was so well—known in russia, abroad. she needs to keep his words alive. she is now his voice. i want people to support you, help your family, because as long as you will be able to talk, she will drive this attention and everybody will remember him. it was shocking news because i have a tiny hope. when putin's resume collapsed, alexei navalny would be able to get out of prison and started his political career. i'm not saying he became a lea

marina litvinenko is the widow of alexander litvinenko , a former alexander litvinenko, a former russian was poisoned in london. she told gb news that the world must consider whether vladimir putin can be allowed to continue his brutal regime. >> do you accept putin as a leader of the country ? do you leader of the country? do you believe you can negotiate out to this regime? do you believe you can trust ? and this is a very can trust? and this is a very important and i think we will have not another chance to make any change for what is happening now to russia and what is happening to ukraine. and to ukraine again, where the chief of the army has announced that forces are retreating from the frontline city of avdiivka , the frontline city of avdiivka, the key eastern town , has been key eastern town, has been besieged by russian forces for months. >> the army chief says the move will avoid encirclement and preserve the lives and safety of person of service personnel . person of service personnel. it's one of the most significant changes to the frontline since russia's capture of bakhmut

litvinenko, putin's regime has denied involvement in all of these cases. but at the same time, he absolutely doesn't care about his international reputation in some way. is he's interested in a reputation that is a violence. >> now could vladimir putin now have a bigger target on his back? one analyst says it's possible that someone in putin's inner circle could turn on him, but the analysts also says he is woven people into that circle who simply benefit too much by being there and would harm them significantly to take them out, brianna yeah. >> it's also very notable and we noticed this brian from the script ball and the litvinenko cases. it's not only opposition figures who were inside of russia who are in danger here. that is >> right, briana, you mentioned those two cases that we're in our paste the script, paul's, and lift an aco in britain. but look, opponents of putin had been attacked in the united states. they've been attacked in asia and elsewhere. he has an immense reach. it doesn't ever seem to really trace back to him personally though >> and

litvinenko, putin's regime has denied involvement in all of these cases. but at the same time, he absolutely doesn't care about his international reputation in some ways, he's interested in a reputation that is a violence could >> vladimir putin now have a bigger target on his back? one analyst says it's possible that someone in putin's inner circle could turn on him what the analysts also says, he's woven people into that circle who simply benefit too much by being there. and it would harm them significantly to take him out. brian todd, cnn, washington in the meantime, cnn has uncovered social media video showing israeli soldiers burning food ransacking homes and destroying people's property >> as the idf continues can use to fight hamas and gaza. we'll talk about that in a few moments. you're live in the cnn newsroom >> vegas, the story of sin city premiere sunday they february 25th, they ten on cnn >> have you heard sling tv offers the news you love for less weight. you look and sound just like me. actually i am, you because i'm the same news programs o

from the baltic countries, well, in particular from lithuania, where he also runs the afghan fund, litvinenkomes to us in belarus, we used to go there often, but now the situation is such that there are a little difficulties with obtaining visas and so on and so on and such ties, as they say, became a little stronger, but we completely broke off the relationship. because when we started, there were five points where excursions could be conducted, at today we have 50 objects, this includes military equipment, this is an armored train, which the belarusian railway helped us create, firstly, a monument to all the railway workers who worked and fought, and secondly, this is an armored train, but... today it is a unique object that everyone envy when they come and want it, in addition, we are engaged in the restoration of military equipment from the war, in fact, we have more than twenty pieces of equipment that are on the move and that simulate shots, idle, in fact, which are involved in reconstructions, now we are literally before the new year in november. happiness, liberation , victories have

the baltic countries, well, in particular from lithuania, they are also in charge there afghan litvinenkoto visit us in belarus, we used to go there often, but now the situation is such that it’s a little difficult to get. visas and so on and so forth and such ties , as they say, have improved a little, but we have completely broken off relations - with ukraine, because well, guys, in private we communicate, communicate and talk, but such as you say, so that met as before, that a whole delegation arrives, and we receive them, we are here with them, such as unfortunately not now. you are also one of the creators of the stalin line complex, why do you think it is so popular today among belarusians and guests abroad, because when we started, there were five points where excursions could be held, today we have 50 objects , this is military equipment, this is an armored train, which the belarusian helped us, the belarusian railway helped us create, we have regular guests, well, in any case, we see that not only belarusians are interested in this, but also others, as they say, the peoples of ot

and in 2006, there was the death of alexander litvinenko, a former intelligence officer and fierce criticm in london. since vladimir putin gave the order for the invasion of ukraine two years ago, questions have grown about how far russia's leader is willing to go. ukraine's president had to say today. translation: ukraine's president had to say toda .translation: , ., , , by putin. like thousands of killed by putin. like thousands of others who have been tormented and tortured because of this one person. putin does not care who dies, as long as he retains his position, and thatis long as he retains his position, and that is why he must not keep anything. putin must lose everything. anything. putin must lose everything-— anything. putin must lose eve hina. �*, . ., everything. it's not yet clear exactly what _ everything. it's not yet clear exactly what happened - everything. it's not yet clear exactly what happened to i everything. it's not yet clear - exactly what happened to alexei navalny. but vladimir putin's critics seem to know who they hold responsible. gordon corera, bbc news. an

and before the death of bory nimtsov. and till between the death of politkovsky and the death of litvinenko , there were many deaths, but the picture did not change. can it change now? no, of course, nothing will change, moreover, navalny's death is a new stage in the development of russian authoritarianism, which is already, well, close to stalin's, to stalin's methods of managing the country. i compared the murder of navalny is the same as the murder of kirov, remember, somewhere in the year 34, when he was killed, then it was found out that the nkvd, after which stalin began a complete cleansing of the country from potential competitors, which are only possible. i believe that navalny's death is a sign of this, because navalny was considered by some oligarchic groups and the west, including, well... as a potential heir to putin, with whom, in theory , it would be possible to reach some agreements and improvements relations now that navalny is gone, i think that, well , i hope that it is clear in the west that the regime is moving into a completely new quality, they will tighten even stro

and in 2006, former kgb spy alexander litvinenko was poisoned after fleeing to the united kingdom.ith the russian authorities saying navalny's body will not be handed over until an investigation into his death has been completed, but his team say this is just to cover traces of what they believe is a clear act of murder by vladimir putin. whit? >> lama hasan, thank you. >>> staying overseas now, vice president kamala harris standing with ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy at the munich security conference, both making the case for additional u.s. military aid. harris emphasizing the importance of american support for ukraine as efforts to provide funding have stalled in congress. and the meeting comes as ukrainian forces retreat from a key city. here's abc's selena wang at the white house. >> reporter: as russia takes control of another ukrainian city, president zelenskyy today imploring congress, alongside vice president harris, for more aid to defeat vladimir putin. >> translator: we are counting on this positive decision of the congress for us. this package is vital. >> we

and in 2006, there was the death of alexander litvinenko, a former intelligence officer and a fierceith radioactive polonium in london. since vladimir putin gave the order for the invasion of ukraine two years ago, questions have grown about how far russia's leader is willing to go. this is what ukraine's president had to say today. translation: obviously he was killed by putin. i like thousands of others who have been tormented and tortured because of this one person. putin does not care who dies, as long as he retains his position, and that is why he must not keep anything. putin must lose everything. it's not yet clear exactly what happened to alexei navalny. but vladimir putin's critics seem to know who they hold responsible. gordon corera, bbc news. in a moment we'll go back to steve rosenberg in moscow, but first let's talk to our chief international correspondent lyse doucet, who is at that security conference in munich for us. lyse, world leaders are openly pointing the finger at vladimir putin, but is their outrage likely to be turned into action? well, three years ago presi

laura, we were both, i think, moved to be with marina litvinenko on the newscast on saturday.you were visibly moved. i know what i felt. yeah, without question. i mean, she speaks so powerfully about the terrible thing that happened to her, her husband killed at the hands of putin's henchmen. are you all right? how are you? i'm fine. and i said, because whatl happened to my husband, it was in uk, it was not easy process l to getjustice, but i knew i will have a proper investigation. alexei navalny was poisoned in russia and russia always. deny of doing this. now, he's killed in russia and it. would be always denied they did it. and this is a very- difficult process to prove. and we have to understand, russia| state is now not a law—based state. but what's also so moving is her determination that this situation must not be allowed to stand. and she's not the only person who has that view. and she talked, i thought, so movingly about this community of people outside russia for whom it's no longer safe to live inside russia. but as they watch on with the rest of the world, what c

we're litvinenko. go there.ing to be talking to his widow, marina , uh, about all of widow, marina, uh, about all of this, um, a little bit later on in the program. >> yeah. because one of the most moving things about this is that, um, the valentine's message he sent his wife just before was well found dead in before he was well found dead in prison. heartbreaking stuff. right. uh, let's have a look at some of the other stories coming into the newsroom this morning. well the cyclist, sir well the former cyclist, sir chris hoy revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer last year, despite having no symptoms. >> undergoing chemotherapy. >> he's undergoing chemotherapy. the olympic gold cyclist says the treatment is going really well. >> good for that. and, uh, under new government plans, foreign dentists could be allowed to work in the uk without a qualification check. ministers plan to scrap the overseas entrance exam in a bid to solve the dental crisis . critics fear the dental crisis. critics fear this could mov

and in 2006, there was the death of alexander litvinenko, a former intelligence officer and fierce criticsoned with radioactive polonium in london. but speak to in economist and professor in the chicago public policy. thank you for coming on the program. policy. thank you for coming on the rouram. ., ~' policy. thank you for coming on the rouram. ., ~ ,, ., policy. thank you for coming on the rouram. ., ~ i. ., ., program. thank you for having me. what are your _ program. thank you for having me. what are your feelings _ program. thank you for having me. what are your feelings today? - program. thank you for having me. what are your feelings today? a . what are your feelings today? because it's a very, as a person i first met alexei navalny 20 years ago when i wrote a column about one of his first political campaigns. he had become a friend, we sometimes exchange messages. i'm totally devastated by this news.- exchange messages. i'm totally devastated by this news. when was the last time _ devastated by this news. when was the last time you _ devastated by this news. when was the last tim

those who opposed britain in the past, serco skrobo was poisoned, vladimir kara—murza is locked up, litvinenko in the future as opposition?— who can emerge in the future as o- osition? �* ., opposition? at the moment there is no other— opposition? at the moment there is no other opposition _ opposition? at the moment there is no other opposition leader - is no other opposition leader in russia. you've already heard about vladimir kara—murza who by the way is a british subject who is imprisoned for 25 years. he didn't quite have the organisation of a following that alexei navalny had. all of the officials who worked with navalny have left the country. 0ther supporters of his are in jail, as we already heard. and there are other people in russia who remain in russia who oppose putin but they are quiet because they know that if they express their views publicly, going to be arrested and jailed. we even sought and i tell people who were silently putting flowers and memorials to novelli in different cities in russia, some of those people were also detained ——we even saw people. —— navalny. there is

perfectly litvinenko democracy perfectly democratic . democratic. >> there's democracy. >> there's nodemocracy. >> democratic as an >> it's as democratic as an unelected house of lords , isn't unelected house of lords, isn't it? is the democracy? it? where is the democracy? isn't it? it's as democratic as an unelected house of lords. >> just >> house of lords just scrutinises legislation mainly and actually, know, improves and actually, you know, improves it and everything that it in detail and everything that goes through ends having goes through it ends up having to be agreed by the commons goes through it ends up having to be agto ed by the commons goes through it ends up having to be agto agreethe commons goes through it ends up having to be agto agree with ommons anyway to agree with you. >> but, know, you should be >> but, you know, you should be welcoming different welcoming a different role. >> about scrutinising >> this isn't about scrutinising legislation. about legislation. this is about shifting and shifting on a debate and involving people who have, who have, whom there's

lithuania, they also run the afghan fund, litvinenko, sasha, he often comes to us in belarus, we usedent there, but now the situation is such that there are some difficulties with obtaining visas and so on and so forth, and such ties, as they say, have become a little clearer, but we have completely severed relations with ukraine, because well... guys, privately we we communicate, communicate and talk, but such as you say, to meet like before, that a whole delegation comes, and we receive them, we are here with them, this, unfortunately, does not exist now, you are still one of the creators of the complex stalin's line, yes, why, in your opinion, is it so popular today among belarusians and guests abroad, because when we started, it was... uh, the remains of technical hour tz5, this, which died in the first month of the great patriotic war, and we consider it our duty to restore it to uh liberation of belarus, so that there is a connection , so they attacked us, so we honor and still collect everything, show everything to people so that they can see how hard it was to win happiness. w

there was prigozhin last year, litvinenko before that, bofis year, litvinenko before that, boris nemtsovemtsov, who was another, uh, of political , uh, another sort of political, uh, another sort of political, uh, political enemy. >> wasn't there a previous novichok attack on, uh, it was in 2020 nearly killed him on a plane. yeah, yeah. so it's not like this is out of the ordinary. this is something that we would expect. >> i'm amazed he lived as long as he did. well, actually >> i'm amazed he lived as long as heto d. well, actually >> i'm amazed he lived as long as heto the iell, actually >> i'm amazed he lived as long as heto the trouble actually >> i'm amazed he lived as long as heto the trouble of:ually >> i'm amazed he lived as long as heto the trouble of making went to the trouble of making a documentary what his documentary about what his message should be. after he was nobbled. message should be. after he was nobbliti. message should be. after he was nobb|it on the day his aired it on the day of his death, and only 15 minutes death, and it's only 15 minutes long. worth watch, lon

dmitry kochatkov, dmitry litvinenko, ekaterina yarovenko, channel one.ections took place in payjan, the current head of state ilham aliyev wins. hour ago, three sociological services gave figures from 92 to 94%. judging by exit polls, the closest of the six rivals has about 2%. the final turnout according to the central election commission of the republic is almost 77%. report by anatoly lazarev. the polling stations hadn't even opened yet, and people were already standing outside the doors. azerbaijan has a traditionally high turnout; in the last three presidential elections in a row, it was more than 70%. i'm already 70. i participated in all elections. of course, they were all like that. such activity. never happened, people azerbaijan votes for justice , for sovereignty, for the independence of azerbaijan , the current presidential elections are early, because karabakh recently returned to full control of baku, the country restored territorial integrity, it is symbolic that it was there on the returned lands in the city of khankindi that president al

alexander litvinenko. i mean, you don't you don't have to try. and i mean, you could you could kill, you could poison. you don't have to leave an isotope that is only produced in the soviet well, in russia, right. i mean, you you leave the trace. you tell them this is how it's going to happen. of course, it happened again in britain with the former. you with the double spy who survived, but an innocent woman was killed. and so absolutely. this is and there is a breach here, of course, to the nuclear blackmail. if you want to talk about. so so you you intimidate people inside, but you also intimidate the outside world, the so-called west, and you intimidate them by well, they're well known quotes from putin about the end of the world means to him and how the russians are going to go to paradise while the rest of of their good will will will die or putin use the world's doormat, which is kick the bucket without even to and asked really you would you would initiate a world wide armageddon and said what do i need the world for in there is no russia s

in 2006, in one of the most high profile incidents, kremlin critic alexander litvinenko was poisoneddio active isotope polonium 210. he suffered an agonising few days before dying in a central london hospital. >> new opposition is appearing . >> new opposition is appearing. it is being generated now and navalny played an important role in it. but at the same time this opposition requires new ideology. the death of alexei navalny means vladimir putin now rules virtually unchallenged. >> many of the critical voices who once spoke out against the russian leader , now jailed, russian leader, now jailed, forced into exile or, like navalny , are dead by the time he navalny, are dead by the time he launched his full scale invasion of ukraine. many opponents who once tried to hold the putin government to account have been silenced . there is widespread silenced. there is widespread and understandable concern at the news of alexei navalny's death, but getting proper answers about the cause of death will be next to impossible . will be next to impossible. people, like so many similar incidents

marina litvinenko is the widow of alexander litvinenko, a former russian spy who was poisoned in londonb news that the world must consider whether vladimir putin can be allowed to continue his brutal regime. >> will you accept putin as a leader of the country ? do you leader of the country? do you believe you can negotiate gate to this regime? do you believe you can trust ? and this is a you can trust? and this is a very important and i think we will have not another chance to make any change for what is happening now to russia and what is happening to . ukraine is happening to. ukraine >> in other news, a third of small boat arrivals since 2018 have taken place, while russia , have taken place, while russia, enoch was prime minister. that's according to new analysis by the labour party . that's after 52 labour party. that's after 52 people reportedly crossed the channel by small boat yesterday , channel by small boat yesterday, meaning there's been just over 38,500 arrivals since mr sunak became prime minister. shadow home secretary yvette cooper said it was proof the government's focu

putin to just somehow end up dead in 2006, former russian agent turned kremlin critic alexander litvinenko died after his green tea with spiked with poison at a hotel bar in london that same year, russian war critic on politico scott was shot and killed outside her moscow apartment. 2009, russian lawyer sergei magnitsky died in prison. are russian human rights report found evidence that he'd been beaten the day he died. in 2012, russian financier alexander paler, paul cheney died suddenly while on a jog near his home in london toxicology experts later found traces of a rare poison in his system. in 2013, russian businessman boris berra scope ski was found dead on the bathroom floor of his home in the uk. in 2015, former soviet deputy prime minister boris nemtsov was shot dead while on a walk with his girlfriend that's just a few. look for a special encore of you, oscar winning cnn film that follows navalny's life as an outspoken opposition leader, anti-corruption crusader, and assassination target. the film is called navalny. it airs tomorrow night at 09:00 eastern, right here on cnn. we'r

remember, they've been previous kremlin critics alexander litvinenko in the united kingdom, poison by a rare radioactive agents nearly two decades ago. now. and so many think, thought perhaps this was likely the work of putin's intelligence or security services returned to russia in a bid to try and maintain the voice he had as an opposition figure. and immediately arrested, but still able to communicate with the outside world through social media. once inside prison, and a coterie of close advisers, loved ones outside and being sure that that message could consistently be heard. and then as his prison term continued, that clearly spelt to perhaps have been by the russian authorities, not an adequately strict terms for him. so he was moved to this arctic circle colony number three in the next region. and that tough conditions all by themselves. but i presume tougher if you are essentially the leading opponents publicly to vladimir putin. and now these horrifying reports day that are, i would say, consistent with how we know russia treats its political opponents, but still nonetheless

litvinenko was killed with polonium 210 in the uk back in 2006, where i'm talking to you from salisburysergei skripal was, uh, tried to be assassinated with novichok. and assassinated with novichok. and as you say, alexei navalny was poisoned with novichok in august 2020. uh, in russia . and he 2020. uh, in russia. and he somehow survived. so the fact that he looked pretty well on thursday evening when he was last seen on tv and then died on friday, the russians said it was sudden cardiac death syndrome. now now that is a syndrome. i have. now now that is a syndrome. i have . i know, i know a lot about have. i know, i know a lot about it and, uh, certainly navalny did not look like somebody who had that particular syndrome. i might say that it's only people who sort of die on sports pitches of it. if you know you've got it , you pitches of it. if you know you've got it, you can do a lot about it. so the accusation that it is novichok would make a lot of sense, because we know the russians design this, uh, deadly nerve agent to be undetectable . nerve agent to be undetectable. so, as you

. >> we saw that with litvinenko. >> we saw that with litvinenko. >> we saw it with skripal, we saw itraine. so it doesn't really give two figs about that sort of stuff. but what the death does, mark, is the culmination of the kremlin's effort to eliminate all sources of opposition . um, all sources of opposition. um, and don't forget , navalny was and don't forget, navalny was barred from the 2018 election in the same way that boris dean has been barred from the 2022 election. he was the independent candidate, so this is really putin consolidating his power. if you get in his way , he'll get if you get in his way, he'll get rid of you. that's exactly what happened after prigozhin and the coup or suspected mutiny , uh, coup or suspected mutiny, uh, last year. and does this indeed increase the call for more funding for ukraine? >> the republican party in the us are arming and arming about sending another. i think it's 90 million or billion. is it billion dollars ? yeah, another billion dollars? yeah, another $90 billion. just insane amounts of money. does this give the case more weight

experts that arafat could have been poisoned, and it’s definitely not us , the fact that in the litvinenkorios, and these characters are in search of a... already seems like a reminder that mi 6 is part of the british foreign ministry, where we have always worked the best writers in the kingdom, from defoe and maugham , to forsyth and le caret, but let’s not even speculate on who shot the perebezchik and what actually happened, i would like to add a simple thing, he himself made a terrible choice, between money and the lives of his colleagues, and this is unlikely whether to make them long-lived, the intelligence services do not value those whom they consider a resource, and are not cynical enough to use the resource to the end in a big game. valeria olyokhina tried to understand how important is zelensky’s role in this situation, because he can’t help but see the headlines that he brought nothing but applause to the munich conference, his emotional diplomacy brought only emotional results, because now it’s the tenth anniversary. on the maidan, you can already look at everything without em

>> uh, even polonium litvinenko case.d it, i read it several times. if you read it, you will see that it doesn't contain any solid evidence . it's contain any solid evidence. it's speculation of the judge. the salisbury case almost happened almost six years ago, right on the 4th of march. yeah question where is the evidence? well, the novichok. yeah. no no no not of the novichok of the fact that of the novichok of the fact that of the alleged fact that those two guys, petrov and boshirov. >> okay, i do is a bit convenient though , isn't it, convenient though, isn't it, that people who putin dislikes do keep dying? not all of them. well, no, because he dislikes a lot of people. but i mean quite a number of them are dead now and died through things and have died through things like poisoning, etc. >> uh, in 2015, as far as i remember, boris nemtsov was killed a very near to the kremlin . um some liberal people kremlin. um some liberal people believe that that, uh, putin was behind it. in fact , they found behind it. in fact