Nikolai Glushkov’s daughter Natalia ‘found body of Putin enemy who once put polonium killer Andrey Lugovoy in jail’ in London home
THIS is the daughter of Nikolai Glushkov who reportedly found the body of her Putin critic dad at his home in London.
Natalia Glushkova discovered evidence of “strangulation”of the Russian exile, Russian media reported, with cops confirming they were investigating the "unexplained" death of the 68-year-old.
Glushkov's cause of death hasn't been confirmed but anti-terror cops are leading the investigation as a "precaution" due to the "associations" he was believed to have had.
Today, claimed Glushkov - who had links to Alexander Litvinenko's polonium “killer” Andrey Lugovoy - had “no guard, no servants”.
What we know so far:
- Jeremy Corbyn was branded Vladimir Putin's puppet after refusing to accept Russia was behind the nerve agent attack.
- Skripal's niece claimed that daughter Yulia could have been the real target of the nerve agent attack.
- Glushkov's daughter Natalia is believed to be in hiding after discovering her dad's dead body.
- CCTV footage emerged showing Skripal's last journey before the chemical attack.
- The Russian Embassy has responded by calling the expulsion 'unacceptable, unjustified and shortsighted' - and said 'response measures will not be long in coming'.
- Theresa May announced she would kick out 23 diplomats in the wake of the Sergei Skripal case.
- The Prime Minister also confirmed government officials and members of the Royal family would not be attending the World Cup in Russia.
- The Foreign Office has issued a warning to Brits travelling to Russia warning of possible 'anti-British sentiment or harassment'.
- Skripal and daughter Yulia remain in a critical condition in hospital after being exposed to a nerve agent in Salisbury on March 4.
- Another cordon has now been set up 25 miles away in Gillingham, Dorset.
- Russian exiles have now been asked by cops to help identify a mystery couple aged between 35 and 40 seen close to Skripal and his daughter before they collapsed.
- Russian exile Nikolai Glushkov was discovered dead with 'strangulation marks' on his neck on Monday night by daughter Natalia Glushkova in New Malden, South West London.
“Allegedly, his daughter who came to visit discovered traces of strangulation on her father's body,” reported the newspaper, owned by Arsenal shareholder and pro-Vladimir Putin oligarch, Alisher Usmanov.
“However, Kommersant sources could not explain whether it was outwardly similar to suicide, premeditated murder or an accident.”
Russian dissident tycoon and former Kremlin powerbroker Boris Berezovsky - exiled Glushkov’s close friend - was found by police to have strangled himself five years ago at his home in Sunninghill, Berkshire, but later a coroner issued an open verdict on his death.
Little is known about Glushkov’s daughter, believed to be in her late 30s, but she graduated from Moscow State University, Department of Sociology, specialising in Mass Communication, Advertising and PR.
She studied for an MA at University of Westminster, it was reported.
She was listed as the co-owner of a “luxury lifestyle gentlemen’s club boutique” in Baku - capital of Azerbaijan - offering “top quality male accessories and bespoke services from carefully selected brands”.
The shop, now closed, was described as “an exclusive destination for diverse luxury brands with outstanding heritage, craftsmanship and brand philosophy that are not represented in the local market.
“The interior design of the shop and its branding have been created in accordance with the idea of a sacred hidden gem for the male client.
“It is a destination store where people can purchase something for themselves or as a gift while being respected, carefully looked after and pampered.”
She has a brother Dmitry, aged around 40.
A Glushov family friend said: “I know that his wife Lyudmila and son live in Moscow, and a daughter lived in London.
“Nikolay was sick, he had blood disease.
“And even in Moscow he was already registered as 1 group of disability (the most serious).
“It's total rubbish these rumours about his non-traditional sexual orientation, and same about AIDS.
“He was a good family man, he loved children.
“His relatives don't believe that this was violent death.
“I know that his daughter was telling her mother recently on the phone, that her Dad was feeling really sick.”
The friend added: “I know that he suffered badly in Russian jail because of his illness.
“He was an incredibly intelligent man, writing books even in jail
It's not clear where he will be buried, family members are on phone to each other deciding it now.”
Separately it is known that Glushkov was the reason that Andrey Lugovoy - later identified as the killer of Putin foe Alexander Litvinenko in London - served a 14 month jail sentence in Russia.
This extraordinary link dating back to 2001 adds sinister intrigue to the latest mysterious Russian death in Britain.
Glushkov had been jailed for defrauding Aeroflot.
Lugovoy was head of a security for a TV station partly owned by Berezovsky, close associate of Glushkov.
Apparently acting for Berezovsky, ex-FSB man Lugovoy attempted to spring Glushkov from jail during a hospital visit.
His audacious scheme was foiled, and was imprisoned for 14 months.
But Glushkov always suspected Lugovoy was conniving with the FSB, and believed the escape ploy may even have been a bid to keep him behind bars longer.
Lugovoy’s jail term was subsequently - and mysteriously - cut short, and as soon as he was freed he started a major business empire including a security firm, which would make him a millionaire.
Critics have questioned where the money came from.
There were claims that he may have owed the FSB, and that the poisoning of Litvinenko’s tea with a radioactive cocktail could have been part of his payback.
When Glushov was released in 2004 he quizzed Lugovoy over what happened.
MOST READ IN NEWS
"I tried to get him to tell me about his conversations with the FSB and where his money was coming from," he said later,.
"He didn't explain one or the other.”
Lugovoy denied the meeting happened and said he was “shocked”.
Berezovsky said later that he had a “strange impression” that Lugovoy had been turned during the Glushov jail saga.