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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Kieran Isgin

Roman Abramovich 'suffers symptoms of poisoning' after Kyiv meeting - reports

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has suffered symptoms of suspected "chemical weapons" poisoning following a meeting in Kyiv earlier this month.

A report was initially made in the Wall Street Journal and has been confirmed by investigative journalism group Bellingcat who stated that Mr Abramovich and two Ukrainian officials had suffered symptoms such as red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands.

They have now all been said to have recovered. Mr Abramovich was reported to have been involved in negotiation talks between Russia and Ukraine amid the former nation's invasion of the latter.

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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 victims was Russian entrepreneur Roman Abramovich."

In a string of tweets, Bellingcat added more details, stating: "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 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 intentional 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."

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