Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and multiple Ukrainian peace negotiators reportedly suffered symptoms of suspected poisoning after a meeting in Kyiv earlier this month, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Per the report, the group blamed the alleged poisoning on hardliners from Moscow who don’t want the war in Ukraine to end. The Russian oligarch and the peace negotiators’ symptoms reportedly included skin peeling on the face and hands along with red, teary eyes.
Abramovich and the Ukrainian negotiators, who included Crimean lawmaker Rustem Umerov, have since recovered and their lives are not in danger, according to The Independent. Bellingcat, an investigative news outlet, said that three members of the delegation attending the peace talks on March 3 experienced symptoms consistent with poisoning from chemical weapons.
Russia invaded Ukraine just over a month ago, and the conflict has continued ever since. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said he was willing to discuss his country’s neutrality in order to end the war “without delay,” per NBC.
But in a video address Sunday, Zelensky said he would not sacrifice his country’s territorial integrity ahead of a new round of peace talks with Russia set to take place this week in Turkey.
Last month, the British government froze Abramovich’s assests, including Chelsea, after he was sanctioned due to his relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Abramovich is currently in the process of trying to sell the club.
