Symptoms included red eyes, constant and painful tears and peeling skin on their hands and face, a source confirmed to Sky News. The Guardian’s Shaun Walker said Mr Abramovich had lost his sight for several hours and had to be treated in Turkey. A Ukrainian negotiator said that all members of the team are working normally, while it is understandable that the owner of Chelsea FC is well and continues to work on the negotiations. The latest war in Ukraine – Russia suggests it could cut off gas to Europe following G7 pledge The research site Bellingcat said the dose and type of toxin were probably insufficient to cause life-threatening damage and “probably intended to scare”. He said on Twitter: “Bellingcat can confirm that three members of the delegation that took part in the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia on the night of March 3-4, 2022 showed symptoms consistent with chemical weapons poisoning. “One of the victims was Russian businessman Roman Abramovich.” Mr Abramovich reportedly traveled between Moscow and Kiev during several rounds of talks amid war. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:16 March 14: Abramovich at the Tel Aviv airport “Permeable pain in the eyes” The billionaire and at least two senior members of the Ukrainian team showed symptoms that included red eyes, constant and painful tears and peeling skin on their faces and hands. The health of the victims, including Crimean Tatar politician Rustem Umerov, has improved since then and their lives are not in danger. In a series of tweets, Bellingcat added more details, saying: “Abramovich, along with another Russian businessman, participated in the talks with Ukrainian MP Rustem Umerov. “The round of negotiations on the afternoon of March 3 took place on Ukrainian territory and lasted until about 10 pm.” Later that night, back in an apartment in Kyiv, the three men experienced initial symptoms – such as eye and skin inflammation and “piercing eye pain” that did not go away until morning, according to Bellingcat. Image: Rustem Umerov, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, attends peace talks with the Russian delegation in the Gomel region of Belarus last month. Photo: AP Bellingcat: Experts say symptoms are ‘most likely’ result of ‘chemical weapon’ poisoning The research site said it had consulted chemical weapons experts, who concluded that the symptoms “are most likely the result of deliberate poisoning with an unspecified chemical weapon”. Bellingcat added: “A less likely alternative was to use microwave radiation. The symptoms gradually subsided over the next week. “Experts said the dose and type of toxin used was probably insufficient to cause life-threatening damage and was probably intended to scare the victims rather than cause permanent harm. A person close to Mr Abramovich did not speculate on who was behind the attack. The three men reportedly consumed chocolate and water only hours before their symptoms appeared, while a fourth member of the group who had consumed the same things had no symptoms. Image: Abramovich is pictured in his box at Chelsea. Photo: AP Abramovich is among those sanctioned by the United Kingdom The owner of Chelsea FC, Mr. Abramovich, had previously stated that he was invited to participate in the peace talks on the Ukrainian side. The exact nature of his role was unclear, but his spokesman said his influence was “limited”. The Kremlin has also previously confirmed that Mr Abramovich played an early role in peace talks with Ukraine. The billionaire is among those sanctioned by the UK government for his alleged links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he denies. Last week, a super yacht linked to Mr Abramovic docked at the Turkish resort of Marmaris, a day after another of his yachts arrived in Bodrum. It was not immediately clear if Mr Abramovic was on the yacht or if he was flown to Turkey to avoid sanctions.
