Andrei Lugovoi (file photo) (epa) July 5, 2007 -- Russian prosecutors said today they had officially refused a British extradition request for Andrei Lugovoi, the prime suspect in the murder of former Russian security officer Aleksandr Litvinenko.
The Prosecutor-General's Office said Russia's constitution does not allow for the extradition of its citizens.
It also said Russia would consider prosecuting Lugovoi if Britain requested it and provided sufficient evidence.
The murder of Litvinenko, a Kremlin critic who died in London in November from radioactive poisoning, has strained relations between Britain and Russia.
(Reuters, AP)
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