Roman Abramovich ‘fine’ after suspected poisoning as doubts cast on claims

Simon Lloyd

A US official has cast doubt on whether Abramovich was the victim of poisoning

Outgoing Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is reportedly ‘fine’ after it was claimed he, along with two other Ukrainian peace negotiators, was the victim of an attempted poisoning earlier this month.

It was claimed on Monday that Abramovich and other negotiators had suffered symptoms including eye pain following talks which attempted to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine following Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch an invasion last month. The suspected poisoning was not thought to be enough to pose a threat to life.

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

Doubts over Abramovich poisoning

Sky Sports has now reported that Abramovich is ‘fine’, with one US official casting serious doubts on whether the symptoms he and other negotiators allegedly suffered were the result of poisoning.

“The intelligence highly suggests this was environmental,” the official told Sky News, adding: “E.g., not poisoning.”

Abramovich is believed to have travelled to and from Moscow and Ukrainian capital Kyiv as part of his role in peace talks.

The Wall Street Journal reported Abramovich, Crimean Tatar politician Rustem Umerov and another negotiator experienced red eyes, constant and painful tearing and peeling skin on their faces and hands following talks at the start of the month.

Alleged poisoning linked to ‘undefined chemical weapon’

A series of tweets by investigative website Bellingcat added more details.

“Abramovich, along with another Russian entrepreneur, had taken part in the negotiations alongside Ukraine’s MP Rustem Umerov,” Bellingcat tweeted on Monday.

“The negotiation round on the afternoon of 3 March took place on Ukrainian territory, and lasted until about 10pm.

“Three members of the negotiating team retreated to an apartment in Kyiv later that night and felt initial symptoms – including eye and skin inflammation and piercing pain in the eyes – later that night. The symptoms did not abate until the morning.

“The next day the group of negotiators drove from Kyiv to Lviv on the way to Poland and then Istanbul, to continue informal negotiations with the Russian side. 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.

“An alternative less likely hypothesis was use of microwave irradiation. The symptoms gradually subsided in the course of the following week.”

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 (@bellingcat) March 28, 2022

Abramovich sanctions

Abramovich is currently in the process of waiting to sell Chelsea following UK sanctions imposed on him as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Chelsea owner had all of his assets frozen by the UK government as a result of his close ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

A shortlist has been devised with a preferred buyer set to be announced in the coming weeks.