DETECTIVES investigating the death of Nikolai Glushkov have released CCTV of black van after the Russian exile was found "strangled at London home".

The 68-year-old businessman, who is said to have been on a Kremlin hit list, was found dead at his home in New Malden, South West London, in March.

Scotland Yard today released footage of a black Volkswagen van, which they say was seen in and around Mr Glushkov's street the night before his body was discovered.

Cops are appealing for the public's help in identifying the van and driver who they say may have information that could help with their enquiries.

A Met Police spokesperson said: "The Volkswagen van was seen in and around Clarence Avenue in New Malden between 7.30pm and 10.30pm on Sunday, March 11."

Police were called to retired financial director Mr Glushkov's home, where he had lived for two years, at 10.46pm on March 12 after daughter Natalia Glushkova discovered his body.

A a post-mortem determined that his cause of death was "compression to the neck" - with a murder probe opened just days after his body was found.

Counter terror cops have been involved in the investigation from the outset, saying it was due to the "associations" that Glushkov was believed to have had.

Officers ruled out a link to the Salisbury novichok deaths and say there is no evidence to suggest the tycoon was poisoned.

The spokesperson added: "Detectives have obtained a total of 286 witness statements, and 159 witness questionnaires have been completed.

"Detectives working on this investigation have also seized 1,086 exhibits to date."

Following his death, Mr Glushkov's family released a statement saying they were devastated.

It has previously been reported that there were no signs of forced entry at his home.

On the day of his death he was due in court over an £87million fraud case.

Mr Glushkov had been accused of fraud during his time as deputy director of the Russian airline Aeroflot, and had been expected to attend the commercial court in London to defend himself.

The businessman, who was a close friend of Putin critic Boris Berezovsky, had previously been tried in his absence after fleeing to the UK, and sentenced to eight years in Russian prison.

Glushkov spent five years in jail in Russia over fraud charges before escaping to the UK in 2004 and being granted asylum in 2010.

He walked with the aid of a stick after a major operation on his right leg two months ago, and was unlikely to have been able to fight off an assassin.

No arrests have been made and detectives ask anyone with information to contact them in confidence on 0800 789 321.