Britain has announced it will hold a public inquiry into the death of former KGB spy Aleksandr Litvinenko.
The decision means investigators can look into whether the Russian state played a role in the death of Litvinenko.
Home Secretary Theresa May announced the inquiry on July 22.
The decision comes at a time of rising tensions between Britain and Russia.
Litvinenko -- speaking on his deathbed after he was poisoned in London in 2006 -- accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering his murder.
Last year, the British government rejected a request for an inquiry into Litvinenko's death.
Litvinenko died a few weeks after drinking tea poisoned with a rare radioactive isotope in a plush London hotel.
The Kremlin has always denied any involvement in Litvinenko's death.
