Inquest into Russian oligarch Berezovsky death to open Thursday

An inquest into the death of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead at his home in Britain at the weekend, is to open on Thursday, police said, DPA reported.
The inquest is expected to hear evidence on the cause of death and then to adjourn until a full hearing can be held at a later date.

The results of a post mortem showed that the 67-year-old died by hanging and there was no sign of a violent struggle. Results from toxicology and histology reports are expected to take several more weeks.

Forensic examination of Berezovsky's home in the southern county of Berkshire was still ongoing, police said.

There has been widespread speculation about the death of Berezovsky, an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

British prosecutors have accused Andrei Lugovoi, a Russian politician and former KGB member, of murdering Alexander Litvinenko, a friend of Berezovsky and fellow exile, with radioactive polonium in London in 2006.

Berezovsky's body initially remained at his home while it was examined by nuclear, biological, and chemical experts before being given the all-clear.

The businessman, who had survived several assassination attempts, made a fortune in the 1990s after the privatization of Soviet state assets but emigrated to Britain in 2000 after falling out with Putin.

Friends said he had recently been depressed and was heavily in debt.