Some UK incidents involving figures connected to the former Soviet Union:

ALEXANDER LITVINENKO

Litvinenko, a former KGB agent-turned fierce critic of the Kremlin, died after ingesting polonium in his tea at a London hotel in 2006. His family claims the Russian state orchestrated his death, and British authorities have named former KGB officer and Russian lawmaker Andrei Lugovoi as their chief suspect. The Kremlin and Lugovoi deny being behind the poisoning.

BADRI PATARKATSISHVILI

Patarkatsishvili, an associate and confidant of Berezovsky's, died in his mansion in southern England in February 2008. Police initially said his death appeared suspicious, but the authorities later ruled the 52-year-old billionaire had succumbed to heart failure.

ALEXANDER PEREPILICHNYY

Perepilichnyy was found dead outside his plush home in southern England in November. Post-mortem examinations have so far failed to determine how the 44-year-old died. In a recent report, the BBC said he had had a checkup and was given a clean bill of health only months before his death.

STEPHEN CURTIS

Described by author Mark Hollingsworth as "the lawyer who knew too much", Curtis died when his helicopter crashed in poor weather on its way to his 19th-century retreat in southern England in March 2004. Investigators ruled the crash was an accident.

GERMAN GORBUNTSOV

Russian businessman Gorbuntsov was shot six times in London's Canary Wharf financial district in March 2011. Gorbuntsov, who survived, blames disgruntled business associates for the attack.

AP

(China Daily 03/27/2013 page10)