Former agent of Russia Federation's Special Forces, currently a businessman and Lugovoy's business partner.

Kovtun met Alexander Litvinenko - as did his partner Lugovoy - on November 1st 2006, at London’s Millennium Hotel, where Litvinenko was presumably poisoned. It is also known, that Kovtun had a previous meeting with Alexander in London in October 2006.

Due to an agreement between Russian and British law-enforcement agencies Kovtun was questioned in Moscow by Scotland-Yard investigators. Kovtun denied any accusations that he participated in Litvinenko's poisoning. In the media it was reported that traces of radioactive poisoning were found in Kovtun's body.

German authorities assert that traces of Polonium-210 were detected in Kovtun's car. The same sources also emphasize that Kovtun's ex-wife, her partner and two children were poisoned with a radioactive material.

Kovtun made a stop at his ex-wife's apartment in Hamburg in October 2006 on his route to London.

Kovtun and Lugovoy were childhood friends and neighbours, and their fathers served together in the Ministry of Defense. They both graduated from Moscow's Military academy.

According to media reports, Kovtun expressed his willingness to travel to Hamburg and give his testimony to local authorities.