Two Americans suffer suspected poisoning in Russia

MOSCOW, Mar 7 (Reuters) Two U S citizens hospitalised in Moscow at the weekend are suffering from suspected thallium poisoning, the U S embassy said today.

Thallium -- an odourless, highly toxic metal that causes a slow and painful death -- was originally suspected in the murder last year of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who was later found to have died of poisoning by polonium.

''We can confirm that two American citizens, Marina and Yana Kovalevsky, mother and daughter, were hospitalised in Moscow on Sunday on suspicion of thallium poisoning,'' an embassy spokeswoman said.

She said Russian authorities were investigating how and when the women were exposed and U S consular workers were in contact with their family and providing help, including return flights to the United States.

''It seems they are about to go back,'' the spokeswoman said.

She declined comment on their condition or the date of their departure.

Russian media said Marina Kovalevsky and her daughter emigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union in the 1980s but frequently visited Russia.

REUTERS PA HT1805