Russian exile found dead in London home

Nikolai Glushkov, who was granted political asylum by Britain, was found dead in his London home by friends

Russian political exile Nikolai Glushkov
Russian political exile Nikolai Glushkov

A Russian exile was found dead in his London home, British newspaper The Guardian has reported.

The man, 68-year-old Nikolai Glushkov, was a close friend with the late oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who fell out with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Glushkov spent five years in jail in Russia after being charged with money-laundering and fraud. He was released in 2004 and was eventually granted political asylum in Britain.

Glushkov was discovered by his family and friends late on Monday night. The cause of death is not yet clear and the London police said the counter-tourism unit was leading the investigation into the death “as a precaution” given the man’s associations.

However, the police told the newspaper there was no evidence at present to suggest a link between Glushkov’s death and the poisoning incident involving Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

The Skripals remain in critical condition after being poisoned with what British authorities have described as a military grade nerve agent. They were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has said it was “highly likely” Russia was responsible for the Salisbury attack last Sunday. May told parliament on Monday that Russia must explain how the Russian-made nerve agent was used to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter, or else, she will conclude it was an “unlawful use of force” by the Russian state against the UK.