Ye, "Bravo Britain for taking stand!.." and so on... The more West does tutoring, the more Russia loses its patience. I can't see any documented proof of who killed Litvin except patetic screaming brainwashed and brainlost ones. Look around! Do not swallow everything given from nespapers and TV, try to use what's inside of you head! The problem is that the West always wanted to see Russia a weak country, so that come and take its goods with no fight. Obviously, old Western guys don't feel well while seeing that after years of chaos and thievery Russia gets stronger. Is it wrong?

Sara, Moscow,

Many in Russia believe that British extraordinary request to Russian president to by-pass
laws of his own country is a nothing else, but provocation. British press get used to portrait Mr. Putin as "autocrat" and "tzar", it seems British government officials reading these newspapers too. Now and then British authorities appeal to
Russian president directly to by-pass Russian legal structures, apply diplomatic pressure to bend various Russian rules and regulations. It was a matter of time when Russian constitution would be under attack too.

Ignatieff, Tver, Russia

What is this rethoric for? Russia woed bla-bla-bla
Are you writing a serious political analysis or being bothered by Harry Potters' author glory? Stop be childish and writing for childs.

Andrey, Krasnodar, Russia

To David Crockett
You apparently misread Russian Constitution. Article 63 you cited is about the persons who have been given political assaylam. Instead you should better look at Article 61 Section1. It reads unambigiously qoute The citizen of the Russian Federation may not be deported
out of Russia or extradited to another state. unqoute . Andrey Lugovoy is a Russian citisen.

Alexey, Moscow, Russia

Its well documented that if britons are murdered abroad,alot of countries log the crime but cant be bothered with a thorough investigation.why are we bothering and causing problems just because this goverment wants to be seen as strong and decisive
but lack forsight and depth.

boris, petrograd,

In 2002, Russia gave its citizen, Mr Murad Garabaev, to Turkmenistan on the extradition request, after long and painful negotiation procedure. The next thing Mr Garabaev did was to go to Strasbourg, to the court and said he was unlawfully extradited despite Russian constitution's 61st chapter. Strasbourg court condemned Russia and asked Russian authorities to pay Mr Garabaev compensation. If Russia gave up Lugovoi, Britain would be the first to condemn Mr Putin
as autocrat and will point to Russia as a lawless country.

R Reaux, Leon, France

I believe the Russian Constitution forbids extraditing Russian citizens. Furthermore, it seems the UK has refused to turn Mr Berezovsky to Russia. Thus it seems to me the UK government made a serious mistake.

Great Britain's has had a tendency to violate international law under Blair's leadership (bombing Yugoslavia, participating in the invasion of Iraq), thus it would seem the British people may consider it wise to implement regime change. Have you considered electing a British Ron Paul? Think about it.

Fernando Leza, Caracas, Venezuela.

I think the new British Government are mad to do this and make Russia an enemy at a time of such World problems.

t was a former Russian spy who was murdered apparently by another former Russian spy. So I would have thought it was a matter for Russia to sort out not Birtain. Surely they could have done this without this drama.

Sometimes Britain shoots itself in the foot by its moral stance when other Countires profit by our actions.

Paul Joslyn, Maidstone, Kent

This is a most damaging and futile situation, any "victory" will will be Pyrhic. We are not being told the full truth here. While we might consider the Russian Constitution flawed if it protects alleged criminals from extradition to foreign prosecution, it is nevertheless Constitution and requires legal change. Would Britain change its constition to suit any situation at the wishes of a foreign power? I doubt it, and frankly, hope not.

There is a much bigger and deeper story here and one the press would do well to investigate instead otfconcentrating on the tit-for-tat gestures

As an expatriate consultant working in Russia (for 4 years now) I am close to local opinion. Educated Russians see this ending only in a dangerous and damaging impasse that will have an adverse impact across business as well as politics with no winners. Take a hard line, express disapproval, disappointment whatever, but it is a constitutional issue and Russia will not bend on this.

Chris Brandobn, Welwyn Garden City, England

It is unprecedented to demand that a sovereign country change its constitution to please another country. The Convention on extardition has nothing to do with it as it clearly gives the signatories the right to derogate and try the suspect in their own jurisdiction. This is exactly what Russia offered - send us detailed evidence instead of proclamations, silly provocative demands and threats, and if there is enough evidence Lugovoy will be tried in Russia. Britain refused.
Against the background of British refusal to grant Russian extradition requests re known terrosrists, this is immoral and extremely hypocritical . There is nothing but politics here, and rather shortsighted politics at that. The Russian government is spot on when it accuses Britain of double standards and imperial thinking. And Britain has lost any moral high ground over her own contempt for the international law during the Iraq affair. Oh, by the way, German constitution prohibits extraditing her own citizens, too

Michael, Berkshire, UK

Have you actually read the constitution?

"Article 63, Section 2: The extradition of persons persecuted for their political views or any actions (or inaction), which are not qualified as criminal by the law of the Russian Federation, to other states shall not be allowed in the Russian Federation. The extradition of persons charged with crimes and also the hand-over of convicts for serving time in other countries shall be effected on the basis of the federal law or international treaty of the Russian Federation. "

Unless you believe that Lugovoi being charged with murder makes him a political target, or murder is no longer illegal in Russia, I fail to see the unconstitutionality of extraditing Mr. Lugovil.

David Crockett, Cape Town, South Africa

If you want 'JUSTICE' why do you care where it's taken place in UK or Russia? UK had a good way to go by supplying Russian General Prosecution Office with all the details of Litvinenko's matter and I'm sure that the guilty one would've been punished in Russia even more violently then in UK!

Also that's not of a good tone to claim that 'You MUST change your Constitution by our demand'. In the same time UK denied extradition request from USA (Lotfy Raissy, suspected in 9-11 case), France (Rashid Ramda, suspected Algerian Terrorist), Italia (Fargy Hassan Fahragy, international crime org. suspect).

Victor, Tomsk, Russia

I think that it looks like officials play a game with reason they know well while people remain unaware of the reason why White and Black Pieces show the power in capturing an enemy.

In terms of a chess player the game is not played by two persons but with help of consultants. There would be no reason to worry about it if it were the kind of activity. However, the reality is different from fantasy as death and life. So, if they are ready to keep us safe from harm?

Mikhail Gaichenkov, Moscow,

In my opinion (which would be censored/have me thrown into prison if I lived In Russia) Just weeks ago Putin himself was telling us that he was going to train his nuclear arsenal on us again. Did we panic ?? , no we diddint !!!!
In this latest spat I think we should stand full square with our Prime Minister who in my opinion has responded to their refusal to extradite correctly.
Putin these days seems to expostulate that he/his country have been treated with contempt/disdain, which overshadows that countrys dealings with the ACCURSED WEST, and that these days there should be some form of automatic awe /respect to be afforded.
Excuse me ! we here in the UK recall all too well your countrys deal with hitler that backfired on you. We recall also too well the total lack of thanks / respect to the British convoys that supplied your war efforts in WW2, and your countrys attitude to us post WW2.
We expected nothing less of Russia in this latest event, and Russia has not disappointed.

Denis Tighe, Glenrothes, UK

It is unprecedented to demand that a sovereign country change its constitution to please another country. The Convention on extardition has nothing to do with it as it clearly gives the signatories the right to derogate and try the suspect in their own jurisdiction. This is exactly what Russia offered - send us detailed evidence instead of proclamations, silly provocative demands and threats, and if there is enough evidence Lugovoy will be tried in Russia. Britain refused.
Against the background of British refusal to grant Russian extradition requests re known terrosrists, this is immoral and extremely hypocritical . There is nothing but politics here, and rather shortsighted politics at that. The Russian government is spot on when it accuses Britain of double standards and imperial thinking. And Britain has lost any moral high ground over her own contempt for the international law during the Iraq affair.

Michael, Berkshire, UK

Firstly, I can't logically explain such a response from the government which declined over 20 similar responses from the Russian government for the Chechen leaders (in some cases people involved have been accused of deaths of 100s innocent civilians)

Try to imagine Moscow being a home for 500+ Al-Qaeda activists and their families, Imagine British Government trying to get them to UK for a fair trial. Imagine Russian government declining on all occasions. Taking into account current situation it looks like it would result in the III WW.

Secondly, I am amused by a selective approach, why similar reaction is not caused when US declined similar requests by the GB government in the past?I think US embassy would be empty by now!

Thirdly, why get EU involved, my impression of GB was that they are big and ugly enough to stand for themselves!

C’mon guys, we’ve got a huge respect for you and your people, no need to get third parties on your side in order to resolve a problem.

Konstantin, London,

The Blair years are over and we are not talking about bungs for arms contracts we are dealing with cold blooded murder.

Whatever the outcome of this spat GB cannot be seen to allow the murder of its citizens by another country. Russia was clearly trying to put the frighteners on the other Russian dissidents who have been highly critical of Putin and his clampdown on democracy.
What Putin is about to realise is that Russia does not enjoy the power that it once had now most of its satellite shield has been eroded.
In this country we are about to learn how much use the EU is in these circumstances or wether it is just a glorified club of self interest. All concerned are about to learn something.

Noel Dobson, York, N.Yorkshire GB

The sanctions will dramatically lower British prestige in Russia. One way or another the lack of prestige will in turn inevitably translate into harm of the British interests, what else one will expect? And it would not happen because of the sanctions from the Russian government. It will happen, and started to happen, on the business contact level. It is for some time now that Anti-Russian rhetoric from the British government increases each year, but up to now it did not harm British business in Russia as such. British business continues to invest record high sums into Russia year after year, exceeding combine total of investment from traditional Russian allies of Germany and France put together. Big part of this British investment has been made into Russian oil and gas, in expectation that Britain will dramatically increase the supply of the oil and gas from Russia,from a few percents up to the quarter of the whole supply. It will remain to be seen what actions British business will take.

JSZ, London, UK

Frankly, i'm appalled at some of these comments from Russia.
It seems to be the Robert Mugabe approach - when you're caught, found out and have no reasonable means of explanation or way out, the answer seems to be 'blame it on the colonial, power hungry UK / West'.
The facts are that this poison is a hard to obtain nuclear substance - this isn't some crudely put together killing device, its a sophisticated, by-product of nuclear technology. Only a few countries [and its countries not individuals] have access to this technology and only one has the motive to kill Litvinenko.
Russia's response will i'm sure be an unmeasured knee-jerk reaction that will aimed at Putin trying to show his power.

Perhaps the best solution to this would be for a trial to take place in a neutral country with neutral juristiction. If Lugovoy is innocent, then this will come out.
However, no doubt Russia would veto even this.

Something to hide Russia?

George Baker, London,

At last! The Uk to scrap it out with the big boys instead of small irrelevant countries like Argentina, Venezuela, Iran and Iraq.

Sam, Glasgow,

The Brits have no right to demand the extradition of a citizen of another country that consitutionally bans extraditionof her citizens. You are violating international laws. Are you willing to extradite your citizens to Iraq?

john, york, usa

Brown says "....we are not prepared to allow a situation of lawlessness to develop in London..." So who DID allow all the knifings and shootings that go on in this country.
And while I am at it send Berezovski back.

Steve Byrne, Christchurch,

so you are saying it is OK for people to come from other countries here to UK and commit crime and then go back where they came from and be protected by their government? When I came to this country 20 years ago I came to live here in peace and to obey the british law but obviously some don't know what that means..

nina, oxford, UK

You cannot have a bunch of Moscow centre hoods running about London murdering critics of Mr. Putin's kleptocracy!!! The reason they think they can get away with it is because the west always seems to wimp out. Bravo Britain for taking a stand!

Mark Pullinger, Chicago, USA

Totally support Milliband and his explulsion of Russian diplomats. Britain can go further, we can block Russians entry into the WTO, and we can with the help of the EU impose economic and financial sanctions against them. Bring it on Putin!

Stuart, Glasgow,

Little boys in big boots! Brown's new government will live to regret the almost childish response to refusal by Russia to allow one of their suspects to face charges in the UK for the murder of one of their ex-KGB officers on UK soil. Why doesn't our immature foreign secretary negotiate swapping Berezovsky for Lugovoi.The Russians would not cite infringement of their constitution for a swap that allows both countries to manage their own issues. The speed with which Brown allowed his foreign secretary to resort to expulsion of Russian diplomats, knowing the obvious responses by Putin, is a clear indication that both gentleman have just been promoted to their respective levels of incompetence. What a bizarre future we have to look forward to with these guys in the driving seat, one having a proven track record of complicity in the Blair cock-ups and the other, a totally untried new boy who trips up at his very first test. Both men and country shall rue this day of avoidable escalation!

Edward Willhoft, Epsom, UK

At long last someone is standing up to the brute and war criminal that Putin so transparently is! No one wants confrontation and a return to the cold war but what was done to Litvinenko was cruel, evil and calculated.

Steven Gale, London,

I think Britain is being stupid over this issue, how
naive can the government be to think Russia would
send Lugovoy to stand trial in Britain when they have been requesting for years to have Berezovsky and
Zakayev returned to Russia. Grow up Miliband and
move into the real world of quid pro quo.

Barry Holmes, Christchurch, New Zealand

One gets the impression that with such actions the British authorities are trying to justify, in the eyes of the world public, their refusal to work with Russian law enforcement bodies on the question of the extradition to Russia of Berezovsky and Zakayev, in relation to whom we have given irrefutable evidence of involvement in terrorist activity. Against this background, the position of Britain is immoral.

Joachim Kappert, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

Russia have done the right thing. I am stuffed with the Anglo-Saxon democracy. It is democracy just for Anglo saxons and their flatterers. It's like when haves speak, non-haves should just listen and no more. Haves say all muslims are terrorists, russians are spies, afros - do not mention them. Saxons can respect just those who are haves and flatterers. When saxons empery will fall, then we can see how democracy willl be sung by them. See democracy which is built by saxons: Israel, Irac, Pakistan and Africa.

ulan, bishkek, kyrgyzstan

any country that respects the rule of law would extradite an accused person to stand trial simply in the interests of justice. particularly so for a murder on foreign soil that put hundreds of others at risk. putin is being stubborn in staed of honourable and does not want to lose face over this issue. he should instead support the fact that what happened in london was wrong and that whoever may be responsible should be tried for the crime in a court in london.

dave, london, UK

Litvininko said, that boy (lugovoi) took my life away.
He'll regret it someday...but this boy (lugovoi) is a good intelligence agent. Even the mi6 knows whats the job of a counter-intelligence officer like that boy (lugovoi). Its like a soldier doing his duty to his country. A soldier cannot be allowed by their own country to be punish in a foreign land for just doing his job. If that's so, some British soldier's should also face the International Criminal Court.

Mark Herd, London ,

There's not any question that the UK is doing the right thing here. Not only is Putin shadier than your average politician, but he's shadier than your average Russian politician, and there can be little doubt that if this assasination didn't have his blessing, he at least won't have those responsible punished for it. The larger problem isn't the assasination - not that it's a small thing - but rather it's Putin's true colors showing through. I can't say exactly what those colors are, but so far, I am starting to see a whole lot of red. I love Russia; the culture and the people fascinate me, and the sheer size of it is mind-boggling. But under the leadership of someone like Putin, it's capable of some very nasty stuff; the UK made the right move here, and unfortunately, I feel as if it's going to have to show even more backbone than it already has in the ensuing days. Not that the UK has ever had a problem with that ...

Rich, Dallas, TX

Russia is breaking all diplomatic and respect rules in all europe...

Mirco, Milan, Italy

For Russia to try and link this to Berezovsky is invidious. The only thing Berezovsky is guilty of is criticising Putin and being of the 'wrong' religion - anti semitism being alive and thriving in the former Soviet Union - Lugovoi may or may not be guilty...but at least he will get a fair and open trial in the UK - which is not something that political opponents of Putin would get.

Jay, London, UK

It is right for us to do this. For some reason Putin is trying to be agressive when he, or more to the point, his people, would have a lot more to gain from friendly relations. To pretend that we should extradite a financial fraudster in exchange for a murderer is disgusting; to suggest that political enemies should be handed over to a violent government is ridiculous, after we have made a promise to protect these people; clearly the point here is, that if someone in the Russian government thinks that they can come and do their dirty deals in our country that is pathetic at least and in any case seriously insulting; we do not believe in murdering our opponents; if you are going to do it (cf Politkovskaya) do it in your own country, not in ours (and we will still think it's wrong). If not, expect direct punishment.
As for oil, we are not very dependent on Russian oil and gas yet and if they keep acting like they do we never will be.

Lottie, London, UK

The point missing in this article is that Russian constitution forbids extradicting Russian citizens for crimes committed abroad. You may not like the law but you have to obey it, this is one of the foundations of democracy. Now it looks like in a pursuit of justice Britain is forcing another country to violate its law, i.e. Britain is applying double standards. Crime has to be punished, but by following legal procedures. One cannot change the constitution now and then, just making it suitable for an immediate benefit.

Anne, Groningen, The Netherlands

Lugovoy cannot be extradited according to Russian legislation. It is technically and legally impossible. He can be tried on Russian soil if the British side provides the evidence. As far as I understand all the Britain has given is the extradition request and some hate-shows from the officials. Hardly a constructive way to punish a criminal, more looks like a pretty ugly PR campaign.

Andrey, Moscow,

Of course the British authorities must do something about this most incredible poisoning case in the centre of London. But the whole British policy of making Britain the safe haven for all sort of scum from around the world which include Islamic terrorists and preachers of hatred like Abu Hamsa and dodgy Russian businessmen and ex-spies like Berezovsky and Litvinenko has to take some of the blame for what's going in the UK these days from terrorist bombings to radioactive poisonings. UK gives protection to these people whom it should never even touch with a pole's end and when they drag along with them to the UK the kind of dealings which are common in their countries (contract killings are pretty usual in Russia on all levels of business and politics) the UK has to antagonise its relations with countries like Russia with British business interests inevitably suffering. It's simply stupid, just like Putin said.

Alex, London/St Petersburg, UK/Russia

Doesn't this Miliband look like Mr.Bean?

Mikhail, Moscow, Russia

Am I going mad, have we now clumsily provoked the Russian Bear as well as the American Eagle.

Brown and his Brownies seem hell bent in not only insulting our greatest ally, but also childishly annoying the Russians in a game of Russian roulette that we can never win.

Only in office 3 weeks and we have ruined years of careful diplomacy. Not doubt it plays well with the Labour faithful, but it underlines the gross incompetence of our lacklustre government.

Richard Kenward, Stockholm,

All I can say is that we´re back to the "good old days" of the "Cold War" . Smiley and Bernard Samson (or their successors) are ready to encounter Smersh and Borobsky,
mighty chief of the First Directorate, with their extensive knowledge of "spookcraft" . A younger generation ignores what "coming in from the cold" or being a triple agent means.
I´m looking forward to the return of entertaining spy literature !

Charles E. Roberts, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Andrey...It's not a question of bowing down to pressure from another country. You cannot commit murder in another soverign country and expect to walk away. It's what makes for a civilised country when they can tell right from wrong... Stalin did it for decades murdering his own people...was that right then?

kirk, Rotherham , UK

Blame UK!

Fox, Moscow,

Oy Americano...you cannot go round having people murdered on the streets of London. Just because the other country decides that a persons face doesn't fit anymore does not make it right. We aren't talking about the Iraqi / Afghanistan ...Vietnam war here..we are talking about upholding the law of a sovereign nation. If the British police have decided that there is a case to answer then the Russians should extradite him...like we would extradite law breakers to America (unlike the USA !!!)

kirk, Rotherham , UK

The handling of this is in stark contrast to the pussyfooting around by our own Government in trying to obtain video evidence from the US authorities for evidence in the inquest into the death of our own Lance Corporal Matty Hull. In the end it actually took the Sun newspaper obtaining an unauthorised copy to highlight the shambolic one-sided US/UK 'relationship' that exists. At least someone cares what happens in this country even if it isn't our own Government!

Rod Munch, Northampton, UK

Russia is right to retaliate. Whether Lugovoi committed the crime or not, Russia is still a sovereign state and should not bow down to the pressure of a foreign and sadly hostile state and change its constitution. Imperial thinking Mr Brown. As for economic co-operation Russia needs Britain much less than some would think. So far the behaviour of largest UK investors BP and Shell was colonial and exploitive in essence and brought little good for Russia & Russians.

Andrey, Moscow, Russia

I think it is not correct to direct the usuall crime into the political path. I really doubt that Lugovoi tried to kill by radioactive substance, leaving traces all over, silly dont you think. Knife would have done a better job. but any way.
I think it is absolutely fair (simply from a personal point of view) not to extradite Lugovoi because
1.It is against our constitution. (I don’t see reasons why it should be changed)
2.London do not extradite Berezovsky (who is guilty of financial fraud and other crimes) and Zakaev (Chechen killer who personally attended murders of Russians)

Tim , Ufa, Russia

If we all freeze this winter we know what is to blame-the posturing of a oily estate agent lookalike(whose grandad was in the Red Army) and his bosses desire to distract attention from Iraq.The Russians must be quaking in their boots.

Trevor Watson, Nottingham, UK

Absolutely the right thing to do. You can't go around murdering British citizens on British soil and expect to get away with it. Anyway, a collapse of economic cooperation will hurt Russia much more than it will hurt the UK in the long run.

James, Hong Kong,

This is all nonsense. The British and the US are responsible for hundreds of thousands of death and displaced 2 million people with the invasion of iraq, the Brits now are making a big deal about this one KGB red-coat! Give me a break!

Americano, brooklyn, ny