RUSSIA:There was speculation in Russia last night that the mysterious illness that led to the hospitalisation of the country's former prime minister, Yegor Gaidar, in Dublin last week is linked to the death of Alexander Litvinenko.
Mr Gaidar fell ill while attending a conference at NUI Maynooth and was hospitalised overnight at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown.
Although the illness was not reported as serious at the time and was linked to his diabetic condition, a close political ally, Anatoly Chubais, yesterday claimed a link between Mr Gaidar's sudden illness, the death of Mr Litvinenko and the recent murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
Mr Chubais insisted he was not pointing the finger at the Kremlin or the Russian intelligence agencies. "If this was true, Moscow would have been a far better place for it than Dublin," said Mr Chubais, who accused other, unnamed assailants. "Yegor Gaidar on 24th of November was in the balance between life and death. Could this be simply some sort of natural illness? According to what the most professional doctors, who have first-hand knowledge of the situation, say: No," said Mr Chubais.
Last night a senior diplomat at the Russian embassy in Dublin offered a less dramatic account of what had occurred. "We can confirm he fell ill and was taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital on the 24th of November while attending the conference," said diplomatic counsellor Andrei Nedosekin. "He spent a night there and the next morning in the A&E department for observation and examination and was discharged and taken to the Russian embassy on his request afterwards. "According to the medical reports at the time of his discharge from hospital, there was no threat to his life. So in the course of his stay in hospital, the Russian consul was there all the time."
Back in Moscow Mr Gaidar then entered a Russian hospital for further observation, where he is still being treated. The precise cause of his illness has not been discovered. Last night, Mr Gaidar's daughter, Maria Gaidar, said: "Doctors are trying to come up with a diagnosis but they can't find one."