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The former MI6 spook behind the dirty dossier on Donald Trump may have worked with Alexander Litvinenko before the Russian spy was murdered.

Christopher Steele fled his home in Surrey yesterday fearing a backlash from Moscow after his identity was revealed online.

A neighbour told The Telegraph he'd asked for his cat to be looked after while he laid low.

Sources reportedly say the 52-year-old is "terrified for his safety."

Steele is said to be a highly-respected Russian expert who spent many years in the British intelligence service before setting up his own private business.

(Image: Getty Images) (Image: Reuters)

Sources told The Times he worked with former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko who was poisoned with polonium-210 in London in 2006.

Litvinenko had worked for the Russian secret service the FSB but was forced to flee after criticising Vladimir Putin.

He was granted asylum in Britain where he was said to have been on the payroll of MI6.

An inquest ruled last year Litvinenko was murdered in an FSB operation, probably on the personal orders of Putin himself.

Steele was said to have been "surprised" by what happened to Litvinenko.

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Litvinenko's wife Maria told The Times she didn't recognise Steele's name but said it was likely he used an alias.

"Sasha [Alexander] had some communication with people with different names, which could be why I can’t help,” she said.

Last night, senior British security sources revealed emergency measures were being taken to make Steele safe.

A source said: “Once his name came out the view was that he could be under threat so steps are being taken to protect him and put him in a more secure environment.”

British newspapers and media outlets were being asked not to name him until after 10pm on Wednesday to give him some leeway so he could be made safe.

That means it is possible he was being transported to an emergency safe house - which may be in a different country

The source added: “The safest place for him is in Britain but it’s highly probable that MI6 will want to distance themselves from this as it was done commercially.

“He will likely plug into a well-established network of contacts and disappear for a while to a safe place or safe house with friends or contacts."

(Image: Reuters)

“Any protection will almost certainly be a police matter in terms of security but it is possible MI5 may be consulted about whether there is a threat to him here from Russia.

“Russia does have a history of exporting violence against people who act against its interests as we saw with former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.”

It comes after a 35-page dossier of memos allegedly compiled by the ex intelligence agent exposed allegations Donald Trump was reportedly bugged by Russian spies while in Moscow where he allegedly carried out “perverted sexual acts” in the presidential suite of a hotel.

It claimed he stayed at the Ritz Carlton Hotel and made prostitutes defile the bed knowing Barack and Michelle Obama had stayed there on a recent trip.

Mr Trump angrily dismissed the claims today claiming “I have a phobia of germs.”

The unverified memos released late Tuesday night also claimed Russian authorities had been cultivating and supporting the billionaire businessman for at least five years, “feeding Mr Trump and his team valuable intelligence on his opponents,

A two-page summary of the allegations were reportedly presented to Mr Trump and Mr Obama last week in meetings with Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, FBI Director James Comey, CIA Director John Brennan, and NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers.

(Image: Getty) (Image: Getty)

It is understood the allegations were pulled together the ex-spook who now heads a private company gathering intelligence but was reportedly used to be stationed in Russia in the 1990s.

The document claimed the Russians had bugged the president in order to blackmail him .

A diplomatic service list shows that the ex-spy was posted to the U.K.’s Moscow embassy in 1990 with the title of ‘Second Secretary’, serving under ambassador Sir Rodric Braithwaite.

However, it is not known how long he was posted at the embassy for.

Mr Steele is listed as a director of a private security and investigations firm in London, called Orbis Business Intelligence Ltd, on Linkedin.