Vladimir Putin blasted after honouring prime suspect in Alexander Litvinenko murder

VLADIMIR Putin has been accused of antagonising the West after honouring the prime suspect in the murder of poisoned former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko.

Vladimir Putin and Alexander LitvinenkoAFP / PA

Vladimir Putin has honoured the prime suspect in the Alexander Litvinenko murder

The Russian President awarded a medal to Andrey Lugovoy, the man believed by Scotland Yard to have poisoned Mr Litvinenko with radioactive polonium.

The ex-spy died in London in 2006 after being poisoned and an inquiry into his mysterious death is currently taking place at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Britain have tried in the past to extradite Mr Lugovoy, who denies any involvement in the murder, but had their request blocked by Moscow.

Mr Putin's regime awarded the 48-year-old, an MP with the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party, with a medal for "services to the Motherland".

He also bestowed the Order of Honour on Ramzan Kadyrov, the Head of the Chechen Republic.

Alexander Litvinenko on his death bedREX

Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko died after being poisoned with radioactive polonium

[Russia is] a bandit state with Byzantine politics

Opposition politician Ilya Yashin

It came as the 38-year-old admitted he personally knows the only man to so far confess to murdering Boris Nemtsov.

The Russian opposition politician, who was a vocal critic of Mr Putin, was shot four times in the back outside the Kremlin on February 27.

Mr Kadyrov said Zaur Dadayev, who yesterday was charged alongside Anzor Gubashew over the murder of Mr Nemtsov, was a "true patriot".

He added that the suspect was angered by Mr Nemtsov's support of the cartoonists at French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

Twelve people were left dead in an attack on the newspaper's Paris offices by Islamic extremists in January, after they had previously published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

Andrey LugovoyAFP

Andrey Lugovoy is the prime suspect in the UK's investigation into the Alexander Litvinenko's murder

The Russian honours will be seen in Western capitals, especially Mr Lugovoy's award by London, as deeply disturbing.

Opposition politician Ilya Yashin said Mr Putin's aim by honouring them was to send out a signal: "These are my people, do not touch them."

He added that Russia had become "a bandit state with Byzantine politics".

Mr Lugovoy holds the post of deputy chairman of the Russian parliament's security and anti-corruption committee.

He is the chief suspect in the murder of former Federal Security Service (FSB) agent Mr Litvinenko.

On his death bed, Mr Litvinenko accused Mr Putin of ordering his assassination.

Moscow has always rejected any role in the murder.

Tens of thousands march for slain Russian opposition leader

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