Polonium tightly controlled in Russia-atomic chief

MOSCOW, Dec 1 (Reuters) Polonium 210, a highly toxic radioactive substance found in the boby of an ex-KGB spy who died in London last week, cannot be obtained illegally in Russia, its nuclear energy chief was quoted as saying today.

Traces of polonium have also been found in several passenger aircraft and at several places in London, some of which Alexander Litvinenko -- a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin -- visited before his death.

In his last note, made public by friends after his death, Litvinenko said Putin was behind his murder. The Kremlin and Russian secret services have denied any connection with his death.

The head of Russia's state atomic energy agency Rosatom, Sergei Kiriyenko, told the government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta that Russia produces only 8 grams of Polonium 210 a month.

''All this amount goes to US companies through a single authorised supplier, Tekhsnabexport company,'' the newspaper quoted Kiriyenko as saying.

Kiriyenko refused to say how polonium was produced, but said nuclear reactors like the Russian RMBK or the Canadian CANDU were needed to make it.

''In Russia all nuclear reactors, including those used for research, are government property tightly controlled by federal authorities,'' he said.

REUTERS PDM BD1433