"It has been suggested that Putin arranged for this man to be killed in this manner, but this does not make sense to me- if you are going to kill a political foe, why do it with a poison that points directly at you? Joe Schmoe terrorist is not going to be able to make the stuff... Polonium points to the involvement of a nuclear capable state's involvement. The use of polonium ensures that Moscow will be the prime, if not only, suspect."

Suppose Moscow/Putin knew that they could cover their tracks, by employing state agents and organs to do this deed. But they still wanted everyone to know they did it. Deniability in the Legality aspect, in other words, but at the same time send a message to everyone that 'crosses them': Mess with us, and you'll die a hideous and slow death... Even if its years after you crossed our path.

So I'm not sure its a set-up by a third party agency. If the pile of assasinated or exiled journalists and power-elite isn't enough to bring down the Putin Regime, then what difference would one more whistle-blower make?

DL