Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich was reportedly poisoned during peace negotiations ©Getty Images

Russian oligarch and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich was the suspected victim of poisoning while trying to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine earlier this month, according to multiple sources.  

The billionaire, who has recovered now, reportedly suffered from temporary blindness and peeling skin.

Reports suggest that two Ukrainian peace negotiators were also affected by the incident.

One source has claimed that hardliners in Russia, who did not want the peace talks to proceed, were behind the alleged poisoning incident.

However, an unnamed US official was quoted by Reuters as saying that the incident was due to "environmental" factors and not poisoning.

Ukrainian official Ihor Zhovkva told BBC that the Ukrainian delegation were "fine" and that he had not spoken with Abramovich.

According to a report on Wall Street Journal, the conditions of Abramovich and Ukrainian negotiators, including MP Rustem Umerov, has improved since the incident occurred on March 3.

Bellingcat has revealed that the poisoning attempt was "not intended to kill" and "was just a warning".

The investigative group also claimed that the symptoms could be a result of attempted poisoning with a chemical weapon.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, right, has been holding meetings with Government officials across Europe and the world since the invasion began ©Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, right, has been holding meetings with Government officials across Europe and the world since the invasion began ©Getty Images

Abramovich was recently sanctioned by the British Government and the European Union citing his allegedly close relationship with the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin, forcing him to put Chelsea FC on sale.

Abramovich played a crucial role in Russia winning the bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The oligarch was also a member of Moscow's delegation to Zurich, where FIFA awarded Russia the right to host the competition twelve years ago.

While Abramovich’s position in the peace talks is not clear, a spokesperson close to the oligarch said that he has "limited" influence in the matter.

On Sunday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said Abramovich had offered his support to help destabilise the situation in Ukraine.

Zelensky has reportedly asked the US to hold off from sanctioning Abramovich as he could play a key role in negotiations.

However, a source close to the Ukrainian President has said that there are a "lot of speculations" and "conspiracy theories" surrounding Abramovich’s role in the peace negotiations.

Abramovich has since been spotted at Israel's Tel Aviv airport on 14 March.

The two sides are set for their first face-to-face peace talks in more than two weeks in Turkey tomorrow.