Russia's Putin dismisses allegations on spy murder

HELSINKI, Nov 24 (Reuters) Russian President Vladimir Putin brushed off accusations today that he had been linked to the murder of ex-KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, saying the issue should not evolve into a scandal.

''There is no ground for speculation of this kind,'' he told a news conference at a summit with the European Union. EU president Finland said the murder had not been discussed there.

''A death of a man is always a tragedy and I deplore this and send my condolences to the family.'' He said he was ready to offer British authorities any assistance necessary in their criminal investigation.

But Putin said he believed Litvinenko's associates -- who include prominent Kremlin opponents -- were playing politics with his death.

''It is very sad that a tragic event like the death of a man is being used for political speculation,'' he said.

Litvinenko accused Putin of his murder today in a statement read out the morning after he died of an unknown poison in a London hospital.

At a news conference at the end of the summit Putin also faced questions about outspoken reporter Anna Politkovskaya, who was shot in an assassination-style killing in Moscow.

But Putin said there was a tendency to focus on violent killings in Russia but ignore similar crimes elsewhere.

''Look what happens in European countries with mafia who systematically kill police, journalists, judges ... It is a common problem,'' Putin said.

REUTERS LL ND2214