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British spy chiefs are convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin sanctioned the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko.

MI5 agents may be quizzed at a public inquiry – ordered by PM David Cameron – about their probe into his death from radioactive tea in London in 2006.

A secret dossier of evidence compiled by MI5 operatives into the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko implicates that Vladimir Putin signed off on the hit, intelligence chiefs revealed.

An intelligence source said: “All the evidence points towards Mr Putin.”

The former KGB officer was poisoned with a dose of radioactive polonium-210 which was put into the tea he was drinking at a London hotel in 2006.

MI5 and Scotland Yard’s Counter Terrorism Command SO15 investigated his murder, but have been repeatedly blocked by Russian authorities from pursuing any leads.

But yesterday, David Cameron ramped up the pressure on the Russian president, himself a former KGB spy, by ordering a public inquiry into Litvinenko’s death. It is believed that British spooks may be called to answer questions about Litvinenko being the victim of a “state sponsored execution”.

A senior intelligence source said: “If you accept that the source of the Polonium-210 was the Russian state, and all the information we have is that it was, then Putin is involved.

“Nobody in the intelligence community believes Putin knew nothing about it. Nobody would dare commit such a killing without it being signed off by Moscow. Russia is entirely run by Putin so the assassination was sanctioned by him – it is likely he wants the world to know, or at least suspect, that it was.“

Putin already faces pressure over Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, which was shot down over Ukraine killing 298, including nine Brits.

It is widely suspected the culprits for the tragedy are pro-Russian separatists with weaponry supplied by Moscow.

(Image: Getty)

Last year, the British government rejected a request for an inquiry into the killing of 43-year-old Litvinenko, so as not to damage relations with Russia.

But, with heightened tensions between London and Moscow, Home Secretary Theresa May yesterday announced that Sir Robert Owen – senior judge and coroner in the Litvinenko inquest – will chair the inquiry.

The dramatic U-turn is thought to be the latest bid by Whitehall to further isolate Putin and force him into weakening his tough stance on Ukraine. But Downing Street denied the announcement was linked to the situation and that the timing was coincidental.

Litvinenko was killed after drinking tea poisoned with the rare radioactive isotope while with former KGB bodyguard Andrey Lugovoy, now a Russian MP, and Dmitri Kovtun in a plush London hotel.

It is widely thought this was punishment to him and a warning to others after Litvinenko and several former other Russian FSB spy agency officers publicly accused their superiors of ordering the assassination of the Russian tycoon and oligarch Boris Berezovsky.

Lugovoy and Kovtun have been identified as the prime suspects in Litvinenko’s death. Both deny any involvement.

His widow Martina – who has fought hard for an inquiry – doubted if the two men would be extradited to the UK as they are protected by Mr Putin.

She said of the Russian leader: “I believe he will never change his mind.”

(Image: Getty)

On his deathbed Mr Litvinenko said about Putin: “You may succeed in silencing me but that silence comes at a price. You have shown yourself to be as barbaric and ruthless as your most hostile critics have claimed.

“You may succeed in silencing one man but the howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life. May God forgive you for what you have done, not only to me but to beloved Russia and its people.”

It was widely reported at the time of his burial that Litvinenko was laid to rest in an air-tight, lead-lined coffin at Highgate Cemetery in North London. Officials were reported to have insisted on the security measures amid fears that the former KGB man’s body was still radioactive.

Mrs Litvinenko said in a statement yesterday: “I am relieved and delighted with this decision. It sends a message to Sasha’s murderers: No matter how strong and powerful you are, truth will win out in the end and you will be held accountable for your crimes. It has taken nearly eight years to bring those culpable for Sasha’s murder to justice. I look forward to the day when the truth behind my husband’s murder is revealed for the whole world to see.”

The inquiry follows David Cameron’s calls earlier this week for hard-hitting sanctions against Russia, including freezing the assets of Putin’s friends after the downing of MH17.

Our intelligence source added: “Vladimir Putin’s influence spreads far beyond Russia and it is extremely unlikely diplomatic-speak will allow any official inquiry directly to say he killed or ordered the killing. But if an inquiry goes as far as to accuse Russia of being behind it you might as well lay the murder firmly at the feet of Putin because it is the same thing.

“Absolutely British intelligence agencies believe that even if he did not directly order the killing Putin knew all about it and signed it off as it sent a very important message.

“It says ‘no matter where you are we can get to you and kill you’.

“Even worse it’s saying when you die it will be horrible and it will be watched by your family.”