In a deathbed statement, Litvinenko blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for ordering his poisoning by tea at a London hotel. The Kremlin has always strongly denied the accusation.
Sir Robert Owen, who’s chairman of the inquiry, said Tuesday that sensitive material relating to possible Russian state involvement in Litvinenko’s death would be heard behind closed doors.
The British government initially rejected requests to hold a public inquiry, but the decision was reversed last summer after Litvinenko’s widow, Marina Litvinenko, challenged it in the courts.
She argued that a public inquiry would enable the fullest possible investigation.
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The pathologists will testify Wednesday on the postmortem results. The presence of radiation in Litvinenko’s body complicated the autopsy, the inquiry heard.
A nuclear scientist will also give evidence Wednesday about polonium-210, its qualities, where it can be found and what effect it has on the body once ingested.
In the course of the inquiry, evidence may also deal with the contamination risk posed to the wider public by the transfer of such highly radioactive material.
