Anna Politkovskaya

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Anna Politkovskaya
Occupation	Journalist

Anna Stepanovna Politkovskaya (Template:Lang-ru; 30 August 1958 – 7 October 2006) was Russian journalist and human rights activist well known for her opposition to the Chechen conflict and the Putin administration. She was shot dead in the elevator of her apartment building on 7 October 2006.

Politkovskaya made her name reporting from Chechnya for Russia's liberal newspaper, Novaya Gazeta. The BBC described her writing as "often polemical, as bitter in its condemnation of the Russian army and the Russian government as it was fervent in support of human rights and the rule of law." Her murder, widely perceived as a contract killing, sparked strong international reaction and controversial debate.

Biography

Early life

Politkovskaya was born Anna Mazepa in New York City in 1958 to Soviet Ukrainian parents, both of whom served as diplomats to the United Nations. She grew up in Moscow and graduated from the Moscow State University Department of Journalism in 1980. She defended a thesis about the poetry of Marina Tsvetaeva. Politkovskaya was a citizen of both the United States of America and Russian Federation.

Journalistic work

Politkovskaya worked for Izvestia from 1982 to 1993, and then as a reporter, editor of emergencies/accidents section, and assistant chief editor of Obshchaya Gazeta led by Yegor Yakovlev (1994–1999). From June 1999 to 2006, she wrote columns for the biweekly Novaya Gazeta, which news vendors often keep under the counter, if at all. She published several award-winning books about Chechnya, life in Russia, and President Putin's regime, most recently the book Putin's Russia.

Outside Russia, Politkovskaya received wide acclaim for her work in Chechnya, where she frequently visited hospitals and refugee camps to interview the victims.. Newspapers in France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the US would open their op-ed sections to her - but in Russia, she had little influence. Her numerous articles critical of the war in Chechnya included allegations of abuses committed under the Russian-backed Chechen president Akhmad Kadyrov, as well as his son, deputy prime minister, then prime minister, Ramzan Kadyrov, who won the 2007 presidential election in the republic. She wrote a book, Putin's Russia: Life in a Failing Democracy, critical of Putin's federal presidency, specifically his pursuit of the Second Chechen War. Politkovskaya chronicled human rights abuses and policy failures in Chechnya and elsewhere in Russia's North Caucasus, and also wrote books on the subject, including A Dirty War: A Russian Reporter in Chechnya and A Small Corner of Hell: Dispatches from Chechnya, which painted a picture of brutal war in which thousands of innocent citizens have been tortured, abducted or killed at the hands of Chechen or federal authorities. One of her most recent investigations was about alleged mass poisoning of hundreds of Chechen school children by an unknown chemical substance of strong and prolonged action, which made them completely incapable for many months. Critics accused her of being partisan via her damning reports, which focused on the alleged cruelty of the Russian federal forces. However, her supporters claim that she did not hold back on making similar allegations against the Chechen rebels.

She had, on several occasions, been involved in negotiating the release of hostages, including the Moscow theater hostage crisis of 2002 and the Beslan school hostage crisis of 2004. While traveling to Beslan to help in negotiations with the hostage-takers, Politkovskaya fell violently ill and lost consciousness after drinking tea. She had been reportedly poisoned, with some accusing the former Soviet secret police poison facility of involvement in the plot.

While attending a conference on the freedom of press organized by Reporters Without Borders in Vienna in December 2005 Politkovskaya said: "People sometimes pay with their lives for saying aloud what they think. In fact, one can even get killed for giving me information. I am not the only one in danger. I have examples that prove it." In Moscow she was not invited to press conferences or gatherings that Kremlin officials might attend, in case the organizers were suspected of harboring sympathies toward her. Despite this, many top officials allegedly talked to her when she was writing articles or conducting investigations -- according to her own article, they did talk to her, "but only when they weren't likely be observed: outside in crowds, or in houses that they approached by different routes, like spies". She often received death threats as a result of her work; including being threatened with rape and experiencing a mock execution after being arrested by the military in Chechnya. In 2001, Politkovskaya fled to Vienna, following e-mail threats claiming that the OMON police officer whom she had accused of committing atrocities against civilians was looking to take revenge. The officer, Sergei Lapin, was arrested and charged in 2002, but the case against him was closed the following year. In 2005, Lapin was convicted and jailed for torturing and "disappearing" a Chechen civilian detainee, the case exposed by Anna Politkovskaya in the article "Disappearing People".

In May 2007, Random House published A Russian Diary: A Journalist's Final Account of Life, Corruption, and Death in Putin's Russia, made up of extracts from her notebook and other writing, in which describes the poisoning on the plane to Rostov-on-Don on the way to Beslan and the worsening political situation in Russia (referred to above). Because the gunman who shot her twice in the head and a third time in the shoulder at point blank range in the elevator to her apartment - on President Vladimir Putin's birthday - carried out the hit 'while translation was being completed, final editing had to go ahead without her help,' translator Arch Tait writes in a note. "Who killed Anna and who lay beyond her killer remains unknown," writes the UK's Channel 4's main news anchor Jon Snow writes in the foreword to the book's UK edition. "Her murder robbed too many of us of absolutely vital sources of information and contact. Yet it may, ultimately, be sen to have at least helped prepare the way for the unmasking of the dark forces at the heart of Russia's current being. I must confess that I finished reading A Russian Diary feeling that it should be taken up and dropped from the air in vast quantities throughout the length and breadth of Mother Russia, for all her people to read."

"People often tell me that I am a pessimist, that I don't believe in the strength of the Russian people, that I am obsessive in my opposition Putin and see nothing beyond that," she opens an essay titled Am I Afraid?, finishing it - and the book - with the words: "If anybody thinks they can take comfort from the 'optimistic' forecast, let them do so. It is certainly the easier way, but it is the death sentence for our grandchildren."

Detention in Chechnya

During a reporting trip in 2001, Politkovskaya was detained by military officials in the Chechen village of Khottuni. Politkovskaya followed the complaints from 90 Chechen families about "punitive raids" by federal forces. She interviewed a Chechen grandmother Rosita from a village of Tovzeni who endured a 12 day torture of beatings, electric shock and confinement in a pit. The men who arrested Rosita presented themselves as FSB employees. The torturers requested a ransom from Rosita's relatives who negotiated a smaller amount that they were able to pay. Another interviewee described killings and rapes in a camp near the village of Khottuni. In the camp, a senior officer showed Politkovskaya empty pits and assured her that the pits were only used to detain Chechen militants, to cover them from the elements when no other premises were available.

On her leaving the camp, Politkovskaya herself was detained, interrogated and humiliated by the other troops. She was threatened with execution, then treated with a cup of tea that made her vomit. Her tape records were confiscated.

A journalist for the federal state unitary enterprise All-Russia State Television and Broadcasting Company discarded Politkovskaya's reports as "tales".

In 2004 Colonel-General Alexander Baranov, the commander of the Russian Kavkaz deployment mentioned by Politkovskaya's camp guide as the one who ordered to cover captured militants in the pits, was proven guilty by the European Court of Human Rights, with regards to unlawful detention, violating right to life, and forced disappearance of a Chechen militant suspect Khadzhi-Murat Yandiyev he ordered to be executed.

Human rights activism

Politkovskaya was sometimes viewed as a human rights activist rather than a journalist. She said about herself that she was not an investigating magistrate but somebody who describes the life of the citizens for those who cannot see it for themselves, because what is shown on television and written about in the overwhelming majority of newspapers is emasculated and doused with ideology. She claimed that the Kremlin tried to block her access to information and discredit her for that reason:

"I will not go into the other joys of the path I have chosen, the poisoning, the arrests, the threats in letters and over the Internet, the telephoned death threats, the weekly summons to the prosecutor general's office to sign statements about practically every article I write (the first question being, "How and where did you obtain this information?"). Of course I don't like the constant derisive articles about me that appear in other newspapers and on Internet sites presenting me as the madwoman of Moscow. I find it disgusting to live this way. I would like a bit more understanding."

Her quotes

With regard to the "information blackout" imposed by the Russian government during the Beslan hostage crisis, Politkovskaya wrote:

We are hurtling back into a Soviet abyss, into an information vacuum that spells death from our own ignorance. All we have left is the internet, where information is still freely available. For the rest, if you want to go on working as a journalist, it's total servility to Putin. Otherwise, it can be death, the bullet, poison, or trial - whatever our special services, Putin's guard dogs, see fit.

In the book Putin's Russia, she accused the FSB of stifling all civil liberties to establish Soviet-style dictatorship, but admitted that "it is we who are responsible for Putin's policies":

Society has shown limitless apathy... As the Chekists have become entrenched in power, we have let them see our fear, and thereby have only intensified their urge to treat us like cattle. The KGB respects only the strong. The weak it devours. We of all people ought to know that.

Awards

2001: Prize of the Russian Union of Journalists
2001: Amnesty International Global Award for Human Rights Journalism
2002: PEN American Center Freedom to Write Award
2002: International Women's Media Foundation Courage in Journalism Award
2003: Lettre Ulysses Award
2003: Hermann Kesten Medal
2004: Olof Palme Prize (shared with Lyudmila Alekseyeva and Sergei Kovalev)
2005: Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media
2006: International Journalism Award named after Tiziano Terzani
2007: UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize (awarded posthumously for the first time)

Assassination

Main article: Anna Politkovskaya assassination

Politkovskaya was found shot dead on Saturday, 7 October 2006 in the elevator of her apartment block in central Moscow. Police said a Makarov pistol and four shell casings were found beside her body. Early reports indicated a contract killing, as she was shot four times, once in the head, but if so it was unclear who ordered the killing.

Novaya Gazeta editor Dmitry Muratov said that on the day of her murder, Politkovskaya had planned to file a lengthy story on torture practices believed to be used by Chechen security detachments known as Kadyrovites which are loyal to Chechnya's Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov whom she described as Chechen" Stalin of our days"'. Now the story may never be published. What's more, Muratov said, two photographs of the suspected torturers have disappeared.

Most of Politkovskaya's colleagues, friends and acquaintances interviewed believe the killing was ordered by those seeking revenge for her reporting on corruption or Chechnya. "There can be no other reason," said Alexei Venediktov, editor of the Echo of Moscow radio station and a friend of the journalist. "She had no other life apart from her profession."

Venediktov speculated that the journalist may have been targeted by ultranationalists. Her name had been included on several lists of so-called enemies of the Russian people on ultranationalist web site.

Pro-Kremlin electronic media are awash in speculation that the killing had been ordered by anti-government forces seeking to replicate the rallies sparked by the killing of Ukrainian journalist Georgiy R. Gongadze, that contributed to the Orange Revolution. Gongadze had written several articles critical of Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. He disappeared in September 2000, and his decapitated body was discovered two months later outside Kiev. According to commentators for Channel One television, the murder was "an attempt to provoke an Orange Revolution here".

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, a co-owner of Novaya Gazeta, said the killing might have been intended to cast a pall over Putin's Kremlin.

Prosecutor General Yury Chaika is personally overseeing the investigation. His office said investigators were considering Politkovskaya's professional work as the primary motive for her murder. Billionaire State Duma deputy Alexander Lebedev, who bought 90 percent of Novaya Gazeta in June 2006, has posted a reward of 25 million rubles, just under US$1 million, for information leading to those responsible for Politkovskaya's death, Ekho Moskvy reported.

The funeral was held on Tuesday, 10 October, at 2:30 p.m., at the Troyekurovsky Cemetery. Before Politkovskaya was laid to rest, more than 1,000 people filed past her coffin to pay their last respects. Dozens of Politkovskaya's colleagues, public figures and admirers of her work gathered at a cemetery on the outskirts of Moscow for the funeral. No high-ranking Russian officials could be seen at the ceremony.

Former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko accused Vladimir Putin of personally ordering the assassination of Politkovskaya and claimed that politician Irina Hakamada warned Politkovskaya about threats to her life coming from the Russian government . In that regard, Politkovskaya asked for a piece of advice from Litvinenko. He had recommended that she escape from Russia immediately. Hakamada denied that she had passed any specific threats, and said that she warned Politkovskaya only in general terms more than a year ago, and that Politkovskaya blamed her and Mikhail Kasyanov for becoming Kremlin's puppets.

Reaction

It has been suggested that this article be merged into Anna Politkovskaya assassination. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2007.

Vitaly Yaroshevsky, deputy editor of Novaya Gazeta, said: "The first thing that comes to mind is that Anna was killed for her professional activities. We don't see any other motive for this terrible crime." Yaroshevsky said there were no immediate theories about who might be behind her killing, and noted that it might be convenient for an enemy of Kadyrov to kill Politkovskaya in order to blacken the Chechen premier’s name. He said Politkovskaya gave an interview to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty last week in which she said she was a witness in a criminal case against Kadyrov in connection with abductions in Chechnya—a case based on her reporting. In that same interview, she called Kadyrov the "Stalin of our day." Law-enforcement sources said they were probing a "Chechen trail" in the apparent contract-killing, the Interfax news agency reported.

Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet President who promoted transparency and democracy, and is concerned about the increasing lack of pluralism in the country, became a minority shareholder to support the newspaper Novaya Gazeta this summer. Gorbachev told the Russian news agency Interfax about this assassination: "It is a savage crime against a professional and serious journalist and a courageous woman", "It is a blow to the entire democratic, independent press. It is a grave crime against the country, against all of us."

Abi Wright, a spokeswoman for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said: "She was an intrepid and brave reporter who repeatedly risked her life to report the news from that region. It's a devastating development for journalism in Russia."

Aidan White of the International Federation of Journalists described her as bravest of the new breed of brave reporters who emerged in the dying days of the Soviet Union. "She faced down threats from all sides and was an inspiration to journalists both at home and abroad. Her death is a shocking outrage that will stun the world of journalism."

Amnesty International said that it was appalled by the murder. Nicola Duckworth, Director of the organization's Europe and Central Asia Programme, said "Russia has lost a brave and dedicated human rights defender, who spoke out fearlessly against violence and injustice, and campaigned tirelessly to see justice done."

President Vladimir Putin told his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush on the phone on 9 October 2006 that Russia's law enforcement agencies were doing everything possible to investigate the murder of Politkovskaya. Putin's statement was his first public comment on the murder of Politkovskaya. Journalists and activists said Putin's comments came too late and questioned his decision to break two days of silence only during a phone conversation. "Putin was elected by the population of Russia and not by President Bush", said Oleg Panfilov, director of Moscow's Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations, a media rights watchdog. Two days later in Dresden,Germany, Putin told reporters:"This journalist was indeed a sharp critic of the present Russian authorities...the degree of her influence over political life in Russia was extremely insignificant. She was well-known in journalistic circles, among human rights activists, in the West. I repeat, her influence over political life in Russian was minimal."

Lyudmila Alekseyeva, the director of the Moscow Helsinki Group, said Putin's slow response was a betrayal of his role as head of state. "In such an exceptional case—the murder of a world-renowned, admirable journalist—the country's president should comment swiftly on such an incident", she said. "Russian citizens want to hear the president's opinion and whether he can guarantee the security of those journalists who try to follow in Anna Politkovskaya's footsteps, to be honest journalists."

Jiri Grusa, President of International PEN said that "Anna Politkovskaya (was) a courageous writer known for her criticism not only of the Chechen war but also of the totalitarian backlash characterizing the latest developments in Russia. Her death raises serious concerns and confirms all the fears," and "We protest in the strongest terms the situation in Russia that has allowed this to occur."

Demonstrations

A demonstration by well-known human rights activists, political figures and several hundred supporters occurred in Moscow the day after Politkovskaya's murder. Instead of an originally planned demonstration to protest the recent crackdown on ethnic Georgians, the proceedings instead became focused on Politkovskaya. Moscow-based radio station Echo of Moscow described it as "the largest action of the Russian opposition in recent times." Further rallies and vigils took place in other Russian cities, including St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Saratov and Krasnoyarsk, as well as London, Paris, New York, and Washington.

In Helsinki, Finland, over a thousand people gathered at the Russian embassy to pay their respects to Politkovskaya. The demonstration was silent, with people holding candles.

On 10 October, 2,000 demonstrators called Putin a "murderer" during his visit to Dresden, Germany.

About 400 demonstrators gathered in central Moscow’s Pushkin Square on 7 April 2007, exactly six months after the journalist’s murder, Ekho Moskvy radio reported the same day. Yabloko party leader Grigory Yavlinksy told the gathering that the killings of Politkovskaya, journalist Dmitry Kholodov (in 1994), Russian Public TV head Vladislav Listyev (in 1995) and newspaper editor Larisa Yudina, who headed his party’s Kalmykia branch (in 1998), like "many other well-known and obscure political murders," were "never investigated", newsru.com reported. And on April 5, Reporters sans Frontieres had said it was waiting with "the utmost impatience" for Prosecutor-General Yury Chaika to reveal the findings of his office's investigation of Politkovskaya's murder. "Statements praising his department's staff offer no guarantee that this horrible crime is being solved," the organization’s press release added, referring to Chaika’s March 29 comments hailing the work done by those in charge of the investigation.

"The passing months must not result in any weakening in the campaign on Politkovskaya's behalf. We must continue to press for justice to be done in this case and for an end to impunity in Russia." RSF added, "If the authorities fail to produce concrete and conclusive evidence, the creation of an international commission of enquiry or a Russian parliamentary commission of enquiry could prove necessary." RSF quoted Novaya gazeta editor Sergei Sokolov as saying, "For the time being, we have no criticism to make about the work of the prosecutor's office." Sokolov had refused to divulge any details about the case because, he said, "a leak could have a disastrous effect on the investigation", the press fredom organization added.

Political reaction

Chechen Republic of Ichkeria — The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the separatist Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Akhmed Zakayev, expressed:

"outrage" at the murder, calling on the world community "to condemn in the strongest possible terms the demonstrative execution of one of the foremost champions of human rights and freedoms, and to conduct an independent international inquiry into this heinous act of terrorism."

Chechnya — President Alu Alkhanov, in his interview with Itar-Tass, expressed his revulsion over Politkovskaya's murder:

stating that those responsible should receive "the most severe punishment." He noted that while his views on what has occurred in Chechnya are very different from those of Politkovskaya, he shared her view on the destiny of the Chechen people. He also expressed his condolences to her colleagues.

Chechnya — Chechen Premier Minister Ramzan Kadyrov denied rumors on the so-called "Chechen trace" in case of the murder of Politkovskaya.

"To speculate on this bloody crime without any reasons and serious proofs means to argue at the level of rumors and gossips; it does not adorn either the press or politicians," Kadyrov stressed. Also, he said that to attempt the life of a journalist means to try to prevent freedom of speech. "Despite not always objective character of the journalist's materials about Chechnya, I regret very much the events happened in such way", the premier said.

Europe — The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs gave the following statement, as Finland at that time held the Presidency of the EU Council:

"The Presidency of the European Union has learned with deep regret about the killing in Moscow of Anna Politkovskaya, well-known journalist and defender of freedom of expression in Russia. The Presidency calls for a thorough investigation of this heinous crime and the bringing of its perpetrators to justice." and "On behalf of the European Union, the Presidency expresses its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Anna Politkovskaya."

Council of Europe — The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted on 27 January 2007, at its first part-session following the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, Resolution 1535 (2007) on threats to the lives and freedom of expression of journalists. The Assembly called on the Russian parliament to closely monitor the progress of the criminal investigations and hold the authorities accountable for any failures to investigate or prosecute. Russia is a member state of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and thus bound by the European Convention on Human Rights.

Finland — President Tarja Halonen said she was shocked and horrified at the killing and expressed the hope that Russia would soon find ways of preventing any repetition of such crimes:

"I very much hope that two things can be achieved in Russia through different means. One is respect for different opinions and the other is a strengthening of the rule of law, so that people can have a sense of safety." "Taking a human life, hurting someone, is always a shocking matter. And when this apparently also involves the violation of freedom of expression it makes the crime that much more appalling."

Finland — The Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Erkki Tuomioja, stated:

"I'm deeply shocked about this , I knew her and I was familiar with her work. I knew she was extremely brave, because for her revelations, outspokenness and honesty she has gained many enemies. This kind of murder will put the credibility of the Russian administration into question. We will now see to what degree the Russian authorities are able and willing to solve the murder and bring to account the offenders, wherever the evidence may lead."

France — French President Jacques Chirac on Tuesday sent a letter to Politkovskaya's two children:

"The hateful murder of your mother" ... "has shocked me just as it has shocked all the French and all those who defend press freedom", Chirac said. "You should understand how important it is to France that everything be done to ensure justice is done and that the murderers of your mother be found and punished."

Georgia — President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili commented, on October 8 2006, on Politkovskaya’s death, stating that " was one of the biggest friends of Georgia to which she dedicated a series of very good articles in the last years." The members of the Parliament of Georgia, who knew Politkovskaya personally, described Politkovskaya as "a conscience of Russian journalism" and blamed "a general human rights situation in Russia" for the tragedy.

Germany — At a joint press conference with Russian President Putin, Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her shock at the murder of Politkovskaya.

"The Russian president has promised me that everything possible will be done to solve that murder", she added.

Russia — In a statement in Dresden, Germany that came three days after the murder, President Vladimir Putin promised a "thorough investigation." Furthermore:

"Whoever has committed this crime", Putin said, "and whatever their guiding motives, we should state that this is a horribly cruel crime. It must not remain unpunished, of course." According to Putin, Politkovskaya's influence on Russian political life was very minor." Politkovskaya was a critic of the authorities, Putin noted, and her influence should not be overestimated. "It was minimal," he concluded. "She was known among journalists and in human rights circles and in the West, but I repeat that she had no influence on political life. Her murder causes much more harm than her publications did. Whoever did it will be punished." Two hours later, at the session of the St. Petersburg Dialog, the subject arose again. "Those people who are hiding from Russian justice are willing to sacrifice anyone to create a wave of anti-Russian feeling", Putin said.

Sweden — The Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Carl Bildt, stated:

"I have been deeply saddened and distressed to hear of the killing of Anna Politkovskaya. Her struggle for human rights and freedoms was an important contribution to the work of making a better Russia and a better Europe. I sincerely hope that the Russian authorities will do their utmost to apprehend those responsible and clarify what lies behind this deed."

Ukraine — Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko stated in a press release:

“In Ukraine, we will always remember Anna Politkovskaya as an honest and courageous journalist committed to the ideas of justice and the protection of human rights."

United Kingdom — In a joint statement with President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair said:

"We condemn this murder and call for a thorough investigation into this terrible crime." President Bush too urged Moscow "to conduct a vigorous and thorough investigation".

United States — President George W. Bush condemned the murder of Politkovskaya:

"Born in the United States to Soviet diplomats, Anna Politkovskaya cared deeply about her country," President Bush said in a written statement. "Through her efforts to shine a light on human rights abuses and corruption, especially in Chechnya, she challenged her fellow Russians—and, indeed, all of us—to summon the courage and will, as individuals and societies, to struggle against evil and rectify injustices."

United States — In Washington, the State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack, said the United States...

"...is shocked and profoundly saddened by the brutal murder of independent Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya" and that it "urges the Russian government to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation in order to find, prosecute and bring to justice all those responsible for this heinous murder."

Related developments

Anna Politkovskaya was only one of many journalists recently murdered in Russia. From January to October 2006, the list of criminal cases from "Glasnost Defense Foundation" led by Aleksei Simonov from Moscow Helsinki Group included 9 killed and 59 attacked (severely beaten) journalists, and 11 attacks on editorial offices. . In 2005, the list of all cases included 6 murders, 63 attacks, 12 attacks on editorial offices, 23 cases of censorship, 42 criminal prosecutions, 11 illegal layoffs, 47 arrests, 382 lawsuits, 233 cases of obstruction, 23 closings of editorial offices by authorities, 10 evictions, 28 confiscations of printed production, 23 cases of stopping broadcasting, 38 refusals to distribute or print production, 25 acts of intimidation, and 344 other violations of Russian journalist's rights.

In a more recent development, ex-KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko died in London, following a lethal dose of radioactive polonium-210, while investigating Politkovskaya's death. The Litvinenko death is currently under investigation by the British authorities. This incident was remarkably similar to the poisoning by thallium of KGB defector Nikolay Khokhlov, and another journalist from Novaya Gazeta Yuri Shchekochikhin (Юрий Щекочихин). The journalist who prepared the interview with Khokhlov for Novaya Gazeta was Politkovskaya. The last book by Schekochikhin was Slaves of KGB (Рабы КГБ). He also investigated the Russian apartment bombings as a member of the Kovalev Commission with Mikhail Trepashkin. Litvinenko was writing a new book about FSB activities including concentration camps in Chechnya. In that regard, he had frequent contacts with Politkovskaya, according to Larisa Volodimirova. On November 24, the day of Litvinenko's death, Russian economist and politician Yegor Gaidar claimed to have been poisoned after drinking a cup of tea. He was taken to hospital but no traces of poisoning were found. This incident was similar to the poisoning of Politkovskaya on her flight to Beslan.

Former KGB officer Oleg Gordievsky believed that the murders of Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, Yuri Shchekochikhin, Politkovskaya, Litvinenko and others mean that FSB has returned to the practice of political assassinations, which were conducted in the past by the Thirteenth KGB Department.

Other similar cases include the assassinations of Russian politicians Galina Starovoitova and Sergei Yushenkov and the death of journalist Artyom Borovik who also investigated the Russian apartment bombings.