When Roman Abramovich was pictured gray, thin and anxious at an Israeli airport two weeks ago, it was assumed he was suffering from his new status as a global outcast.
But the details of an extraordinary month in his life, including a chilling confrontation with Vladimir Putin, have come to light.
Within 48 hours of the Russian invasion, the Chelsea owner shifted the club’s “responsibility and oversight” to his charitable foundation “to look after the interests of the club, players, staff and fans”. By March 2, he had put the club up for sale.
Meanwhile, a parallel drama unfolded involving his mysterious role at the forefront of international diplomacy and a possible chemical weapon poisoning attack.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) speaks while billionaire businessman Roman Abramovich (L) looks on at a meeting in 2016
On February 28, four days after the outbreak of war, Abramovich was in Belarus to “help” when diplomats from both sides met for the first time. His spokesman claimed he was “contacted by the Ukrainian side for assistance in reaching a peaceful solution and has been trying to help ever since”. The Kremlin declined to comment.
The leader of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s party confirmed Abramovich’s “endorsement” but said he had “no idea who invited him”. Sources indicated that Ukrainian officials were looking for a Russian-speaking Jew to act as an intermediary. Others said he was the only Russian who offered his help.
And last week he even handed Putin a note from Mr. Zelenskyy, setting out his terms for the peace. But the Russian president urged Abramovich to deliver a toxic message to the Ukrainian leader: “Tell him I’ll beat her up.”
The oligarch’s involvement had previously been met with enough warmth that Mr Zelenksy called Joe Biden to ask the US President to suspend sanctions so Abramovich could continue to play a role in negotiating a deal.
When Roman Abramovich was pictured gray, thin and anxious at an Israeli airport two weeks ago, it was assumed he was suffering from his new status as a global outcast
Sources say the businessman, whose mother Irina was born in Ukraine, is determined to help end the bloody conflict after witnessing the effects of the war in Kyiv. The talks have failed. Russia hit back at Ukraine’s demands for a full withdrawal, and another meeting was set for March 3.
Abramovich was part of the delegation that met in Kyiv that day. At this point, along with Ukrainian negotiators, he began to experience symptoms, including red eyes and peeling skin.
The next day, the negotiators traveled overland from Kyiv to Poland, ready to fly to Istanbul, where informal talks were to continue. According to Bellingcat, an open-source intelligence group, her symptoms were consistent with chemical weapons poisoning.
Fingers have been pointed at hardliners in Moscow trying to sabotage the peace process.
Within 48 hours of the Russian invasion, the Chelsea owner shifted the club’s “responsibility and care” to his charitable foundation “to look after the interests of the club, players, staff and fans”.
The tension was visible when he was photographed by a passenger in the departure lounge of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on March 14
While Abramovich was recovering privately and reportedly being treated in Turkey, his public image deteriorated. The once-beloved football club owner had become a global outcast as British, then EU, sanctions brought down his property and corporate empire.
The tension was visible when he was photographed by a passenger in the departure lounge of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on March 14.
Later, his £46million private jet took off for Turkey. The next day it continued to Moscow, although it is not known if Abramovich was on board. Since then, resistance in Moscow to his peace efforts has become public. Last Wednesday he flew to Russia to be sent away by Putin with a chilling warning for Ukrainians.
He returned to Turkey to deliver news about the meeting to Rustem Umerov, MP and representative of Ukraine at the talks, The Times said. Despite the access to Putin granted by his status, US intelligence sources question how much influence Abramovich has over the dictator.
Sanctioned oligarch’s shuttle diplomacy
October 2021: Roman Abramovich makes his final visit to Chelsea FC’s London stadium, Stamford Bridge.
February 28, 2022: He takes part in peace talks in Belarus.
March 2: Chelsea announce that the club is being put up for sale. Abramovich is quickly courted by buyers in the UK and US, as well as Turkish billionaire Muhsin Bayrak.
March 3: Abramovich attends peace talks in Kyiv in the afternoon and shows symptoms of poisoning that night.
March 4: The peace delegation leaves Kyiv for Lviv, on the way to Poland.
March 5: The Chelsea owner’s Gulfstream G650ER flies to Turkey, where he is believed to have received medical treatment.
March 10: Abramovich is sanctioned by the British government.
March 14: He is pictured in the departure hall of Tel Aviv Airport. His private jet later takes off for Turkey.
March 15: After a stopover in Istanbul, his private jet flies to Moscow. Abramovich is sanctioned by the EU.
March 23: Abramovich travels from Istanbul to Moscow to hand Vladimir Putin a note from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, only to receive the reply: “Tell him I’ll beat her up.” He returns to Turkey the same day.
In the last few days: Abramovich meets Rustem Umerov, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament and Kiev’s representative in peace talks, in a five-star hotel in Istanbul.