Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky again pointed the finger at Moscow, saying a plot to assassinate him was averted after the British security services managed to arrest the alleged hitman.

Berezovsky’s statement was confirmed by the Scotland Yard, who said on Wednesday that a man sent from Russia to murder the business tycoon was arrested on June 21 before being deported to his homeland.

“We can confirm that a man was arrested on June 21, and released into the custody of the immigration services on June 23,” a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

Berezovsky said the police advised him to leave the country due to safety reasons.

“I was advised by the police to leave the country if I could. I went overseas for a week and then the police informed me that I could return. I have been asked by the police not to go into detail about the assassination attempt and therefore I will not do so,” the businessman said during a press conference.

He also said that some of his friends in Moscow warned him that a person will meet with him under the pretext of a business meeting and kill him, “without any hiding.”

“It was that someone who I know will come to London to meet me, he will kill me openly, without any hiding, and he will explain later that it’s just business reasons,” Berezovsky said.

The man charged by Russian authorities with fraud and corruption praised British for its security policies.

“I am happy that Britain is very strong in protecting people in this country. It is very strange that British Government protects a Russian citizen in London and to the contrary Russia tries to kill a Russian citizen in London,” the tycoon said.

The latest developments widen the gap between London and Moscow, a gap mostly produced by the murder trial of Alexander Litvinenko. British authorities have named former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi as prime suspect and demanded his extradition from Russia, but Kremlin refused to comply saying country laws do not permit it.

Litvinenko was an associate of Berezovsky, an ardent critic of President Vladimir Putin, his death sparking the anger of London officials who said the murder of a British citizen has to be punished according to country laws, ruling out a trial in Russia.

As a first action to Russia’s refusal, London announced it will expel four Russian diplomats, continuing a “diplomatic war” in which Moscow said it will not remain indebted and retaliate in a proper manner.