RED-EYED ROM
Roman Abramovich looks bleary-eyed as he’s seen for first time since ‘poisoning’ claims at Russia-Ukraine peace talks
ROMAN Abramovich has been pictured for the first time since claims he was poisoned during Ukraine war peace talks.
The sanctioned billionaire Chelsea owner was seen bleary eyed in Istanbul ahead of the next round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
5
5
5
5
The two countries are holding talks, which are being hosted by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The 55-year-old has been trying to broker a deal to end the war but it was reported on Monday he was poisoned while in Kyiv talking to Ukrainian officials.
Abramovich went blind for several hours, as skin peeled off his hands and face, after he joined earlier peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
It comes after Vladimir Putin reportedly told Abramovich he would “thrash” Ukraine when the oligarch tried to broker a peace deal.
The Chelsea owner reportedly flew to Moscow to meet the Russian tyrant but was rebuffed with the chilling warning to Kyiv.
READ MORE ON ROMAN ABRAMOVICH
He flew to Moscow last week to present Putin with a handwritten note from Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky,
The note outlined the terms Ukraine would accept to end the war but Putin was unmoved.
“Tell him I will thrash them,” was the Kremlin strongman’s response to the Ukrainian president.
The sanctioned Chelsea owner has been shuttling between his home in Israel and Moscow, Turkey and Ukraine.
Most read in News
Earlier this month he was pictured looking dishevelled at Tel Airport before heading to Turkey and Russia.
He is said to have suffered alarming symptoms along with two Ukrainian peace negotiators, after reportedly eating poisoned chocolates at the peace talks.
The alleged attack was blamed on hardliners in Moscow who want to sabotage the talks and continue Putin's bloody war, although some said Abramovich may have been poisoned by mistake.
Symptoms included red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands, reports the .
Abramovich also lost his sight for several hours as a result of the attack in the Ukraine capital Kyiv earlier this month, according to The Guardian.
Abramovich, plus two Ukrainians, MP Rustem Umerov and another negotiator, began experiencing searing eye pain following a peace meeting on March 3.
They had consumed only chocolate and water in the hours before.
A fourth member of the team did not fall ill, despite having the same food and drink as them.
It come as...
- Putin's Prada-wearing Chechen warlord has been bought in to lead the invasion of Ukraine.
- Russia has “significantly increased” its military presence in the Arctic Circle since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.
- Putin is a threat to everybody but he is losing the war badly and is humiliated – a swift peace deal is in his interests
- A female Russian sniper with 40 kills to her name was captured after being abandoned on the battlefield.
- A kickboxing world champion has been killed while fighting in the besieged city of Mariupol.
Next day they travelled to Lviv then Poland to continue talks while still suffering painful symptoms.
When they headed to Istanbul, Abramovich complained of losing his vision, with skin peeling from his face and hands.
He was then treated in hospital.
The trio’s symptoms were said to have subsided by the end of the following week.
His spokesperson confirmed that he suffered symptoms of suspected poisoning.
Ex-chemical weapons colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon claimed the poisoning “had all the hallmarks of the Russian secret service” — and Abramovich may have been attacked by mistake.
He said: “We understand the negotiators were poisoned with organophosphates which is the base chemical in nerve agents.”
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More on The Sun
The investigative website found that the dosage and type of toxin used against the trio was "likely insufficient" to cause life-threatening damage.
Instead, the attack was meant to "scare" the victims.
5
Help those fleeing conflict with The Sun’s Ukraine Fund
PICTURES of women and children fleeing the horror of Ukraine’s devastated towns and cities have moved Sun readers to tears.
Many of you want to help the five million caught in the chaos — and now you can, by donating to The Sun's Ukraine Fund.
Give as little as £3 or as much as you can afford and every penny will be donated to the Red Cross on the ground helping women, children, the old, the infirm and the wounded.
Donate to help The Sun's fund
Or text to 70141 from UK mobiles
£3 — text SUN£3
£5 — text SUN£5
£10 — text SUN£10
Texts cost your chosen donation amount (e.g. £5) +1 standard message (we receive 100%). For full T&Cs visit
The Ukraine Crisis Appeal will support people in areas currently affected and those potentially affected in the future by the crisis.
In the unlikely event that the British Red Cross raise more money than can be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds will be used to help them prepare for and respond to other humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world.
For more information visit
Topics