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Russian ex-spy's condition worsens as objects found in intestine
By Phil Hazlewood
AFP
LONDON
Petroleumworld.com 11 23 06
Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko has suffered a "major deterioriation" in his condition, doctors said Thursday, amid reports he has had a heart attack and of unidentifed objects in his intestine.
The new developments came three weeks after Litvinenko fell ill with poisoning shortly after meeting two Russian contacts, sparking accusations that the Kremlin was behind a Soviet-style sting against him.
"There has been a major deterioration in Mr Litvinenko's condition overnight. He is now in a very serious condition and remains in intensive care," a statement from University Hospital College London said.
An earlier statement said doctors were in particular monitoring his heart and giving him pain relief.
"He can also be more effectively isolated to protect him against infection, following the damage to his immune system," said the hospital.
But they refused to comment on a report by the BBC that small, round objects of "dense matter" -- possibly packages -- were discovered when doctors took x-rays of Litvinenko's stomach Wednesday.
"Due to patient confidentiality, we are not allowed to comment on results," a spokeswoman told AFP.
One of the objects was in his left abdomen, another in his colon and a third in his small bowel. One may have ruptured, the broadcaster added quoting unnamed hospital sources.
But the report said it was not clear whether they were connected to his condition.
Litvinenko's spokesman Alex Goldfarb told the BBC he had spoken to his friend's wife, Marina, who confirmed that an x-ray of his stomach was taken on Wednesday but she knew nothing of the results.
"His situation has deteriorated overnight and apparently he is now on the artificial heart system. He had a catastrophic fall of his blood pressure last night and probably cardiac arrest," Goldfarb said.
Litvinenko, a 43-year-old a former lieutenant-colonel in Russia's Federal Security Services (FSB) -- the successor to the Soviet KGB -- is a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He fled the country and was granted asylum in Britain after accusing the FSB of plotting to kill the exiled Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky.
But he was admitted to hospital after mysteriously falling ill on November 1, prompting claims from his friends of Russian secret service involvement, a charge denied by Moscow.
Doctors are currently working to determine the cause of his illness.
There have so far been contradictory assessments as to what kind of poison could have caused his hair to fall out and leave him so close to death.
Hours before falling ill, Litvinenko met two Russian men for tea in a London hotel, before another rendezvous in a sushi restaurant with an Italian academic linked to an inquiry into Italian KGB activities.
Litvinenko's friends have dismissed any suggestion that the man in the second meeting, Mario Scaramella, was involved.
Scaramella said their meeting was to discuss an alleged Russian "hit list" on which his and Litvinenko's names featured.
The Times on Thurday said detectives had identified a Russian known only as "Vladimir" whom Litvinenko had told them made him suspicious.
"Vladimir" was present when he had tea with his old friend, Andrei Lugovoy, but did not reveal anything about himself nor why he was there and was guarded about giving any personal details.
AFP 23 0930 GMT 11 06
Copyright© 2006 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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