Abramovich, Ukrainian diplomats suffer poisoning symptoms after meeting with Russian peace negotiators

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian diplomats suffered poisoning symptoms after they met with Russian peace negotiators, it’s been claimed.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian diplomats have reportedly suffered symptoms of suspected poisoning including going “blind for hours” and their skin peeling off in an attack that’s been blamed on Russian hardliners.

The Wall Street Journal and investigative group Bellingcat said Mr Abramovich, who owns UK’s Chelsea football club, fell ill along with Ukrainian peace negotiators just after peace talks in an attempt to sabotage an end to the invasion.

Symptoms included red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands, sources claim.

The billionaire and at least two members of his Ukrainian counterparts displayed symptoms shortly after a meeting in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv earlier this month.

The Sun reported that Mr Abramovich “went blind for hours and his skin peeled off“ after the incident earlier this month.

Mr Abramovich has been shuttling back and forth between Moscow and Lviv in western Ukraine since the start of the war. He’s said to have been playing a semi-official role in both peace talks and attempts for a humanitarian corridor from the besieged port city of Mariupol.

It isn’t known whether the suspected attack was caused by a biological or chemical agent or some sort of electromagnetic-radiation attack.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has met with Mr Abramovich in recent weeks, was reportedly unaffected.

Mr Abramovich handed Putin a handwritten note from Mr Zelensky just days ago.

It’s been reported that Chelsea wonder, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich suffered poisoning symptoms after he played a role in Moscow-Kyiv peace negotiations. Picture: Alexander Hassenstein/UEFA via Getty Images

While there is no conclusive evidence as yet of a poisoning or who may have been behind it, Moscow has form in the area.

In 2020, a Kremlin operation is suspected of poisoning opposition politician Alexei Navalny. In 2018, UK authorities blamed Moscow for a nerve agent attach on former Russian military officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia who had moved to Britain. A British woman later died after inadvertently coming into contact with the poison which was in a perfume bottle.

Despite the poisoning attempt, Mr Abramovich is still involved in the peace talks.

Roman Abramovich has reportedly been trying to find a solution to the crisis. Picture: John MacDougall/AFP

The accusations have come as Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK amid a crackdown on Russia money as the world seeks to strangle Mr Putin’s regime.

The 55-year-old billionaire faces ruin as tough new restrictions were slapped on him over his home country’s bloody and brutal invasion.

Mr Abramovich – who has a net worth of around £10 billion ($A17.5 billion) – has been banned from selling Chelsea and has had all of his UK assets frozen after weeks of speculation he could be subject to sanctions.

Documents published by the British government accuse the Chelsea boss of having a “close relationship” with Mr Putin.

And UK officials also accused him of being involved in “destabilising” Ukraine through his stake in steel manufacturers and mining company Evraz PLC.

Documents allege the firm may have provided steel to the Russian military which would have been used in the production of tanks.

Mr Abramovich’s spokesman has previously denied Evraz steel was used for the Russian military, saying it was meant for “rail and construction”.

Russian tanks – often painted with the white ‘Z’ symbol – have played a major role in Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The government document reads Evraz has been involved in “undermining or threatening” Ukraine, which includes “potentially supplying steel to the Russian military which may have been used in the production of tanks”.

Roman Abramovich is said to have ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. One of his yachts was moved to Montenegro in March as sanctions began to bite. Picture: Filip Filipovic/Getty Images

The document describes Mr Abramovich as a “pro-Kremlin oligarch” and also accuses him of taking a “financial benefit or other material benefit” from his association with the Russian President.

Companies linked to him are said to have received tax breaks, received benefits on share sales, and won contracts in the run-up to the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Mr Abramovich took direct control of the steel group just last month – days before Mr Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Abramovich had previously sold a £151 million ($A264 million) stake in Evraz back in 2019 – a move which the company said it hoped would reduce the sanctions risk.

Pressure had been growing for the government to sanction Mr Abramovich as he was attempting to offload Chelsea by putting it up for sale.

Mr Abramovich, who holds Russian, Israeli and Portuguese citizenship, has now seen the club thrown into limbo.

Western officials have been going after Russia’s cash and those who have close links to Mr Putin, such as Mr Abramovich.

It is hoped going after the mafia-style regime’s coffers will help put an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Parts of this story first appeared in The Sun and have been reproduced with permission