Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian peace negotiators suffered symptoms of suspected poisoning earlier this month after a meeting in Kyiv, the Wall Street Journal and the investigative outlet Bellingcat reported.

Abramovich, who accepted a Ukrainian request to help negotiate an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and at least two senior members of the Ukrainian team, were affected, the WSJ report said.

Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and two Ukrainian peace negotiators are said to have suffered symptoms of poisoning, following a meeting in Kyiv.

It's very mysterious. On the evening of 3 March, they met in Kyiv, right in the heart of Ukrainian territory.

Later that evening - three of them, according to the investigative website Bellingcat, suffered symptoms of nerve agent poising.

They had inflamed skin, irritated eyes and severe pain behind the eyes - symptoms which lasted all night.

None of them had eaten anything more, according to Bellingcat, than chocolate and water.

Chemical weapons specialists have examined this case and concluded that they believe it was intentional.

But we have no idea who did it. There is no claim of responsibility.

Inevitably people will be wondering if this was the work of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence service, who Britain concluded did the Novichok Salisbury poisoning.

According to the WSJ report, Abramovich and the negotiators showed symptoms that included red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands.

Abramovich and the Ukrainian negotiators, including Crimean Tatar lawmaker Umerov, have since improved and their lives are not in danger, WSJ reported.