The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed reports that Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich had been poisoned, saying they were untrue and part of an "information war."
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
On Monday, a report by the Wall Street Journal and the investigative outlet Bellingcat alleged that Abramovich and two other members of Ukraine's delegation to the talks both showed symptoms consistent with poisoning after a meeting in Kyiv in early March.
According to the WSJ, Abramovich and at least two other team members had red, teary eyes, and peeling skin on their faces and hands. The sources who reported the incident accused radical elements in Moscow of attempting to foil the ceasefire talks.
Ukrainian officials poured cold water on the report. Asked about the suspected poisoning, Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak said "there is a lot of speculation, various conspiracy theories." Rustem Umerov, another member of the negotiating team, urged people not to trust "unverified information."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba later took a similar line, saying in an interview on national television that "everyone is thirsty for news and sensations." However, he also added wryly: "I advise anyone going for negotiations with Russia not to eat or drink anything, [and] preferably avoid touching surfaces."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Abramovich was not an official member of the Russian delegation at talks with Ukraine in Turkey, but that he was present at them.
A source close to Abramovich said he did not know who was responsible for the act. The individuals who were allegedly poisoned have recovered. Abramovich is traveling back and forth between Moscow, Kyiv, and Lviv, and has even met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Bellingcat said experts who examined the incident concluded "poisoning with an undefined chemical weapon" was the most likely cause.
Citing the experts, Bellingcat said the dosage and type of toxin used was not enough to be life-threatening, "and most likely was intended to scare the victims as opposed to cause permanent damage. The victims said they were not aware of who might have had an interest in an attack."
The three men who experienced the symptoms had only consumed water and chocolate in the hours beforehand, Bellingcat said. A fourth member of the team who also consumed these items did not experience symptoms, it said.
Western officials said there was no way of knowing whether Abramovich and the others had been affected by a chemical or biological agent, or whether the symptoms appeared following an electro-magnetic attack.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
