An alleged poisoning targeting, apparently, one of the country’s best known international figures. Such a story could only really involve Russia, the state accused of being behind dozens of poisonings over the past century.
The plot, in its initial telling, appears bizarre: Roman Abramovich, now the outgoing owner of Chelsea FC, and Ukrainian negotiators engaged in back channel talks were targeted after a meeting in Kyiv – developing symptoms including peeling skin, irritable eyes and were, it is said, painfully crying.
