The head of an organization of former Russian secret agents said Stalin-era policies of Moscow assassinating enemies had ceased, and ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko was probably murdered by criminals, Reuters news agency reported Thursday.

Former KGB agent Valentin Velichko, head of a Moscow-based Russian nationalist foundation called “Dignity and Honor”, has commented on Litvinenko`s case. He said that Litvinenko, who died on November 23 from severe radiation poisoning, was a traitor but was not killed by Moscow.

Velichko was referring to the to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, who in the 1930s led a campaign of political persecution, repression and executions. “In those days there was a special department called ”V“, which handled the liquidation of political opponents,” said Velichko, who also heads the Veterans of Foreign Intelligence.

Asked about the assassination of Bulgarian dissident writer Georgi Markov in 1978, who was killed with a poison dart from an umbrella, decades after Stalin’s death, Velichko said this was probably the last case.

Velichko said there was no department for liquidations in the system of Russia’s secret services. He also said there were no people in his organization wanting to settle scores with Litvinenko.

Litvinenko`s murder seemed to be a dispute among criminals, Velichko said.

Velichko also said that the use of polonium 210 to kill Litvinenko was a crude assassination that would not have been used by Russia security services. “Professionals don’t use polonium,” he added.

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