Cameron heads to Russia to restore UK business links

The chief suspect in the murder of Alexander Litvinenko claimed yesterday that David Cameron would prefer not to lobby Russia's leaders over the death as the British Prime Minister flies to Moscow today hoping to restore links with the Kremlin.

He is under pressure to demand the extradition of Andrei Lugovoi, named by Scotland Yard for the poisoning of Litvinenko in 2006, during talks with President Dmitry Medvedev and the Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, tomorrow.

But Lugovoi, in an interview with Sky News yesterday, said: "I am sure that this is the dream of Cameron – don't speak about me. It looks idiotic. For the last four years the first question from every British politician has been about me – despite the fact that Britain is the biggest investor in the Russian economy."

Mr Cameron, who takes with him a delegation of 25 British chief executives in an effort to improve business links after the collapse of BP's oil deal with the Russian state firm Rosneft, is unlikely to achieve a major breakthrough with Mr Putin, who has refused to talk to senior British politicians since 2007. Britain needs to restore relations with him, as he is tipped to become president again next year.

Success on the business front is more likely, given the number of British firms represented. Mr Cameron has also been urged to raise the detention of oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Downing Street sources made it clear yesterday that the poisoning of Litvinenko would be raised in the talks.