Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian negotiators were targeted in a suspected poison attack, WSJ reports

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is seen on the stand during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge — Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
Getty/Clive Mason

Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian negotiators reportedly had symptoms from a suspected poisoning.
The suspected attack took place earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Sources told the Wall Street Journal that Abramovich and the negotiators had red eyes and the peeling of skin on their hands and faces.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian peace negotiators experienced symptoms from a suspected poison attack earlier in March, sources told the Wall Street Journal.

Sources told the Wall Street Journal that Abramovich and the Ukrainians experienced symptoms including red eyes and the peeling of skin on their hands and faces after a meeting in Kyiv.

According to the report, their conditions have since improved.

Sources familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that they blame the attack on Russians who want to derail ongoing peace talks.

It was not immediately clear how the suspected attack took place, or if a chemical, biological, or electromagnetic radiation agent was responsible, the report said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Abramovich has been trying to help Ukraine during Russia's ongoing war against the country.

Responding to the Journal's report, the investigative outlet Bellingcat in a series of tweets said that it "can confirm 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."

"Abramovich, along with another Russian entrepreneur, had taken part in the negotiations alongside Ukraine's MP Rustem Umerov. The negotiation round on the afternoon of 3 March took place on Ukrainian territory, and lasted until about 10 pm," Bellingcat added. Three members of the negotiating team experienced symptoms after going back to their hotel that night, including "eye and skin inflammation and piercing pain in the eyes," the tweetes said.

The next day the negotiators made their way toward Lviv, in Western Ukraine, and a Bellingcat investigator was asked to help provide an examination by chemical weapons specialists.

"Based on remote and on-site examinations, the experts concluded that the symptoms are most likely the result of international poisoning with an undefined chemical weapon," Bellingcat said. "The experts said the dosage and type of toxin used was likely insufficient to cause life-threatening damage, and most likely was intended to scare the victims as opposed to cause permanent damage. The victims said they were not aware of who might have had an interest in an attack."

Russia has been accused of suspected poison attacks in the past, including an incident involving the Soviet era nerve agent Novichok that nearly killed top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

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