Sanctioned Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian peace negotiators suffered symptoms of suspected poisoning earlier this month after a meeting in Kyiv, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
The newspaper said on March 28 that its sources were people familiar with the matter but did not name them. It said Abramovich, who accepted a Ukrainian request to help negotiate an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and at least two senior members of the Ukrainian team were affected.
Their symptoms included red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands, the report added.
Abramovich, owner of the English Premier League soccer team Chelsea, confirmed through a spokesperson that he "suffered symptoms of suspected poisoning," according to open-source investigative group Bellingcat and the BBC.
Abramovich and the Ukrainian negotiators, including Crimean Tatar lawmaker Rustem Umerov, have improved and their lives are not in danger, the newspaper said.
Bellingcat said earlier on
Twitter that "three members of the delegation attending the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia on the night of 3 to 4 March 2022 experienced symptoms consistent with poisoning with chemical weapons. One of victims was Russian entrepreneur Roman Abramovich."