Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich reportedly asked scientists examining him if he was "going to die" after falling ill from suspected poisoning.
It's believed the oligarch was poisoned during peace talks between Russia and Ukraine earlier this month. The two nations have been embroiled in a bloody war since Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade the sovereign state in February.
Reports suggested Abramovich may have been poisoned by a First World War chemical agent named Chloropicrin or a low dosage of Novichock. He reportedly experienced debilitating symptoms after the alleged incident, including peeling skin and loss of vision.
And, according to The New York Times, Abramovich asked those examining him "are we dying?" It's unclear who sanctioned the suspected attack in Kyiv, although it's being blamed on hard-liners in Moscow. Abramovich was not seriously injured.
Despite his involvement in peace talks, Abramovich was recently sanctioned by the UK government. He is alleged to have ties with Putin's regime, something he denies. Chelsea are operating under a special license as a result of the sanctions, severely restricting their revenue steams. The club is currently up for sale.
Abramovich is still involved in peace talks and was spotted at a recent meeting in Istanbul held by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He was advised not to eat or drink anything - or even touch surfaces - due to his suspected poisoning in Kyiv.
"I can confirm that Roman Abramovich was contacted by the Ukrainian side for support in achieving a peaceful resolution, and that he has been trying to help ever since," a spokesperson recently said.
"Considering what is at stake, we would ask for your understanding as to why we have not commented on neither the situation as such nor his involvement. Thank you."
Abramovich has long had a fear of poisoning attacks. As reported in 2006, he banned outside catering at Stamford Bridge's boardroom and ensured everything prepared for him was tested by a bodyguard. He also had a personal chef accompanying him everywhere.
That happened shortly after Alexander Litvinenko - a former Russian agent - was poisoned in the UK and subsequently died. The attack was pinned on Moscow - and so were the Salisbury poisonings in 2018, which left three people critically ill and one dead.
Professor Michael Osterholm - an infectious disease expert - has urged the West to prepare for biological and chemical attacks following Abramovich's suspected poisoning and the sanctions imposed on Russia as a result of Putin's aggression.
"However implausible a biological or chemical attack once seemed, the United States and its NATO allies need to game out the worst-case scenarios, take inventory of the resources they have at their collective disposal to deal with biological and chemical attacks, and swiftly bolster those resources," said Osterholm.
"Just a few weeks ago, the notion that Russia might use such weapons in its campaign in Ukraine would have seemed unduly alarmist. That is no longer the case."
