ROMAN Abramovich and Ukrainian peace negotiators have been the victims of suspected poisoning, the Wall Street Journal reports. 

At least two senior members of Ukraine's delegation and the Russian oligarch developed symptoms such as red eyes and peeling skin on their faces and hands, sources have said. 

Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea football club, was sanctioned by the UK government over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

He accepted a request by Ukraine to help negotiate an end to the war just days after it started. 

It is reported that the suspected poising happened after a meeting in Kyiv at the start of March. 

The Kremlin said last week he was involved in early peace talks, but now the process is between the two countries' negotiating teams. 

Investigative website Bellingcat tweeted a thread on the incident: "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."

"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."