Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Abramovich may have been poisoned with World War One chemical agent or Novichok

mirror.co.uk, 30 March 2022, 06:46
The Chelsea owner was reportedly poisoned at recent peace talks as the war between his native Russia and Ukraine wages on - with experts now claiming what warfare agents were likely used

Roman Abramovich was poisoned with World War One chemical warfare agent Chloropicrin or a low dosage of Novichok, experts have claimed.

The claim came from investigative journalist Christo Grozev, who led research into the shocking incident and gathered specialists to explain what had happened. According to the WSJ, Abramovich and other peace negotiators suffered debilitating symptoms including temporary blindness on a mission in early March to Kyiv seeking an end to the war.

The Chelsea owner is said to have required hospital treatment in Istanbul after flying to Turkey from the talks in Ukraine. One theory for the alleged poisoning is that hardliners close to Vladimir Putin wanted to disrupt peace moves and prolong the war.

In a new interview, Grozov spoke in Russian to tell Popular Politics YouTube channel that all the experts had agreed the most likely source of their symptoms was Chloropicrin, a chemical warfare agent used in World War One and stockpiled in World War Two.

"All the experts who communicated with them, studied their photographs and carried out personal examinations," he said.

The experts "all said this was not a coincidence, not food poisoning, not an allergy".

He added: "They suggested this [Сhlorpicrin] and other war agents. They agreed on one of them and disagreed on the others.

"They also all agreed that the only way to detect the agent was to bring these people to a laboratory, or to send their blood sample to a laboratory with means to detect war agents."

He was asked: "Which agent did they all agree on?"

Grozev replied: "Сhlorpicrin - this is the agent giving nearly all of the detected symptoms. The only minus of that hypothesis was that Chlorpicrin usually emits quite a strong smell, which means it is quite hard to give it without it being noticed.

"But then one of the specialists said there were developments of this agent - without smell.

"Other suggestions even included a low dosage of Novichok, which could have led to these symptoms according to one really knowledgeable expert."

Novichok was used in the poisoning of GRU double agent Sergei Skripal at his home in Salisbury, England. His daughter Yulia was also poisoned. The attack was seen as being by the GRU - Russian military intelligence.

Novichok was also deployed to poison Vladimir Putin foe Alexei Navalny in Siberia. He needed life saving medical treatment in Germany before returning to Russia where he was jailed.

Grozev said that it had not been possible with Abramovich and there are other victims to carry out sufficiently deep tests on the cause of the poisoning.

"During the following weeks the symptoms were gradually disappearing, and since the group… was indeed engaged in negotiations, flying from one place to the other, it was very hard to find a day when they could get to a European capital with high-quality laboratory," he said.

"So sadly by the moment it was possible, the metabolic processes made it impossible to detect the agent. Sadly it will remain a big mystery…

"But it was an absurd period when these people were responsible for finding some peaceful solution in the war. In any other situation they would have flown where they were told to understand what it was, but in that situation they prioritised negotiations above their health.

"Possibly we will never learn."

Grozev hit out at the US for initially claiming that "environmental" factors had led to the Abramovich poisoning, and also Ukraine which downplayed the poisoning. He told the YouTube channel: "To answer your question on why people lie [about poisoning] - they lie for many different reasons.

"The Ukrainian authorities can be lying because they don't want this information to become public, not to spike the process of negotiations. Quite possibly this is the same reason why Americans came out with this absurd and honestly offensive statement that it wasn't poisoning, but some environmental factors.

"This resembles Kremlin's explanations that Navalny had issues with glucose."

Grozev - who has linked to British investigative outlet Bellingcat and independent Russian media platforms - said he had been called in around 3 March to examine the case because he had knowledge of previous poisonings.

He contacted other experts who wished to remain anonymous for their security. They had not intended to go public with it, but details of the poisoning began to leak, he said.

"We didn't want to write about it until … somebody started to leak it." He said: "What we know: three representatives had almost identical symptoms - strong pain in the eyes, red spots around the eye, peeling skin."

A Russian political analyst Konstantin Kalachev made the extraordinary suggestion that the poisoning may have been an attempt by Abramovich to gain sympathy in Britain where his interests have been damaged by sanctions.

"Abramovich is a flexible, sane and, of course, cunning person," he said. "I even expressed the opinion that he staged the recent alleged poisoning in Kyiv himself.

"It appeared on the front pages of British newspapers, he began to look as if he had suffered from "hawks" in Vladimir Putin's circle."

The negotiators who suffered medical problems had reportedly only eaten chocolate and drunk water.

"This could be someone [in the Kremlin] who thinks he [Abramovich] has betrayed them by trying to pursue peace," one source was quoted as saying.

The sanctioned billionaire's sight was said to have "completely disappeared" and he was treated in hospital after leaving Kyiv for Istanbul. Chloropicrin is used in agriculture as a soil fumigant and is banned for military use.

It can be released into air by liquid spray or can contaminate water or food. It can be absorbed through inhalation, ingestion, and the skin.

The agent is "severely irritating to the lungs, eyes, and skin".

Top News

31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In their ninth Bundesliga game of the season, relegation threatened Wolfsburg are set to host Augsburg on Saturday at Volkswagen Arena. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who have turned a corner of late go head to head in round 11 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Fortuna Sittard welcome Heerenveen to the Fortuna Sittard Stadion on Sunday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nottingham Forest will endeavour to win their third consecutive Premier League game when they welcome West Ham United to the City Ground on Saturday afternoon. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In one of two high-profile matches round 11 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season has to offer, Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar will do battle at De Kuip on Saturday evening. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both gunning for promotion in their respective divisions, Walsall and Bolton Wanderers will turn their attentions to the FA Cup as they meet for a first-round tie at the Poundland Bescot Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have received a major injury boost regarding Manuel Akanji, according to a report. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk La Liga giants Barcelona are monitoring the situation of Rafael Leao at AC Milan, according to a report. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany believes that Bournemouth 'should not abandon their principles' in Saturday's clash with the Premier League champions at the Vitality Stadium. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Holstein Kiel and Heidenheim meet at Holstein-Stadion in Saturday's gameweek nine match in a battle between a host in their first Bundesliga season and an opponent in their second-ever top-flight year. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United interim head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has said that the Red Devils "can and have to perform better", as he prepares the team for Sunday's Premier League clash with Chelsea. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruud van Nistelrooy has said that he is expecting to remain at Manchester United as an assistant manager once the club have finalised a deal for Erik ten Hag's long-term replacement. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both aiming to make it back-to-back wins in pursuit of the top six in the Championship table, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford will meet at Hillsborough on Saturday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both aiming to bounce back to winning ways in their fights at opposite ends of the Championship table, Leeds United and Plymouth Argyle will square off at Elland Road on Saturday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Securing consecutive wins for the first time since September will be the major objective for Heracles as they entertain the challenge of NAC Breda at the Asito Stadium on Saturday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly started to consider other options in the transfer market at left-back, due to the predicted wage demands of Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City manager Steve Cooper is expected to recall several of his first-team stars for Saturday's Premier League clash with Ipswich Town at Portman Road. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ipswich Town could be without as many as 10 players for Saturday's Premier League clash with Leicester City at Portman Road. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Separated by just three points in the top six of the Championship table, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United will meet in an important contest at Ewood Park on Saturday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Last season's top two in the Championship lock horns at Portman Road for a Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon when Ipswich Town play host to Leicester City. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In their first MLS playoff contest at Citi Field since 2022, New York City FC host FC Cincinnati needing a win on Saturday to stay alive in the quest for the cup. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The Premier League have released the shortlist for October's Player of the Month award, with players from clubs up and down the table and all over the pitch included. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Phil Foden is in contention to start for Manchester City in Saturday's Premier League encounter with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Leganes will be aiming to make it three straight wins in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign with a trip to Girona on Saturday afternoon. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Inter Miami can book a place in the second round of the MLS Cup playoffs with a victory over Atlanta United in game two of that series on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Erling Haaland is expected to return to Manchester City's starting lineup for Saturday's Premier League encounter with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool expert David Lynch can envisage a captivating battle brewing between Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota for the right to lead the Reds' line when the latter returns from an abdominal injury. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has suggested that four key players could be absent from Saturday's meeting with West Ham United. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City will be looking to return to winning ways when they travel to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim has virtually confirmed that he will announce his departure from the club imminently, amid reports that Manchester United have agreed to make him their new manager. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Osasuna will be bidding to make it successive victories in Spain's top flight when they continue their campaign with a home fixture against struggling Real Valladolid on Saturday afternoon.