A FORMER KGB agent who met with poisoned ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko shortly before he became ill could be extradited to London to face charges over the murder.

Scotland Yard is to recommend to the Crown Prosecution Service that Russian businessman Andrei Lugovoi be charged over Mr Litvinenko's death from polonium-210 poisoning in London last November, the Guardian reported.

Mr Lugovoi and another Russian, Dimitri Kovtun, met Mr Litvinenko at the Millenium Hotel, in Mayfair, central London, on November 1 last year.

Mr Litvinenko fell ill and died three weeks later and blamed his murder on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mr Lugovoi, 41, has denied any involvement in the poisoning and claimed he was being "set up" for the murder of the outspoken Kremlin critic.

Traces of polonium-210 were found on Mr Lugovoi and at a number of offices and hotels he visited in London.

Traces of the lethal radioactive isotope were also found on board a London to Moscow aircraft in which he travelled.

Mr Lugovoi told the paper he was unaware of any moves to extradite him.

"I am not guilty. I have nothing to do with the killing of Litvinenko," he said.

"Someone is trying to set me up. But I can't understand who. Or why."

The extradition request could be made as early as next month.

The report suggests the Kremlin may only agree to the request if the British government agrees to send exiled Russian billionaire and Litvinenko's financial backer Boris Berezovsky back to Moscow.