British court to rule on Boris Berezovsky’s libel claim against Russian broadcaster

UK court to rule on Russian tycoon’s libel claim

LONDON — Britain’s High Court is due to rule on a libel claim brought by self-exiled Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky against a Kremlin-owned broadcaster.

The 63-year-old tycoon sued the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (RTR) for a show that accused him of masterminding the death of renegade Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko in London.

Litvinenko died in November 2006 after drinking tea laced with radioactive polonium. On his deathbed, he accused the Kremlin of poisoning him.

An April 2007 show broadcast on RTR cited a mysterious figure, identified as “Pyotr,” as accusing Berezovsky of being behind the slaying.

Berezovsky sued over the show, saying it was outrageous. The ruling is expected later Wednesday.