The news and analysis organisation 'Bellingcat' has stated that Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire and former owner of Chelsea Football Club, was poisoned along with two Ukrainian negotiators while attending negotiations with Russian delegates.
The three men were said to have suffered peeling skin, pain in the eyes, and loss of sight after attending a meeting in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. Abramovich was later hospitalised in Turkey, but it is said that all men made a quick and full recovery.
Abramovich had been invited to the summit to serve as a mediator.
Shaun Walker of The Guardian said:
"A source with direct knowledge has just confirmed to me the WSJ/Bellingcat reports that Abramovich suffered symptoms of poisoning. 'Roman lost his sight for several hours."
There is now much speculation over who carried out the poisoning and what motive they may have had. The Wall Street Journal who first published the story, suggested in their piece that the poisoning may have been carried out by Russian hardliners who are opposed to peace negotiations taking place.
This would suggest that there are figures within the Russian regime that hold far more extreme views towards Ukraine than Vladimir Putin himself. This is because it would make little sense for Putin to begin negotiations at all if the goal was to simply poison those taking part. However, many actions of the Russian state in recent times have been unpredictable and the regime has a long history of using poisons to target opponents, both in Russia and abroad.
Bellingcat investigator, Christo Grozev, said of the poisoning:
"It was not intended to kill, it was just a warning."
The news of the poisoning comes as the two sides are due to meet again in Turkey to discuss a potential end to the conflict that is now in its fifth week. Prior to the meeting, and in an interview with an independent Russian newspaper, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that Ukraine would be willing to accept neutral status, promise to not join NATO, and may be willing to discuss the future of the Donbass region in exchange for Russian troops leaving Ukraine.
It is worried that news of the poisoning may now undermine these negotiations.
[Based on reporting by: The Daily Mail]
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