Roman Abramovich, outgoing owner of Chelsea, and Ukrainian peace negotiators suffered symptoms of suspected “chemical weapons” poisoning

The outgoing owner of Chelsea football club, Roman Abramovich, and Ukrainian peace negotiators suffered symptoms of suspected “chemical weapons” poisoning after they attended the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia on the night of 3 to 4 March 2022.

Recall that the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin ordered his country’s troops to invade Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since then, the two countries have been at war.

According to reports, the war has spread to almost every part of Ukraine. Scores of Ukrainians have been killed and their properties have been destroyed by Russian artilleries.

Due to the number of casualties that Ukrainians have suffered, Russian millionaires and billionaires outside Russia, especially in the United Kingdom and the United States, have suffered different degrees of sanctions.

Roman Abramovich, a Russian billionaire that became famous across the world for being the owner of a Premier League club, Chelsea, has lost his club and other assets in the United Kingdom and other European countries due to the war.

It is believed that Abramovich has close ties with President Putin. Despite that, the Russian billionaire who is also a citizen of Israel has been trying to prove that he is not directly involved in the war.

One of the ways he tried to achieve that is the ongoing effort to sell Chelsea for at least £3 billion and use the proceeds to help in rebuilding Ukraine.

Aside from that, Roman Abramovich decided to make himself available to be a member of a group soliciting a peaceful resolution to the crisis between Russia and Ukraine.

As a member of the group, the 55-year-old Russian businessman has been traveling between Russia’s capital, Moscow, and Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, engaging with the major actors in the ongoing war.

Unfortunately for him and two other members of the delegation attending the peace talks, suffered symptoms of suspected “chemical weapons” poisoning.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Abramovich and two senior members of the Ukrainian team developed symptoms that included red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands.

One of the delegates affected by the chemical poisoning is Crimean Tatar politician Rustem Umerov.

As it stands, the health of the three victims of the alleged chemical poisoning has improved and they are not at risk of losing their lives.

Investigative website Bellingcat tweeted: “Bellingcat 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.

“One of the victims was Russian entrepreneur Roman Abramovich.”

Bellingcat 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. One of victims was Russian entrepreneur Roman Abramovich. https://t.co/DJaZ4CoL8J

— Bellingcat (@bellingcat) March 28, 2022