Russia agrees to cooperate with Ukraine on probe into Yushchenko's poisoning
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Russia has agreed to cooperate with Ukraine in its investigation into the near fatal dioxin poisoning of President Viktor Yushchenko, Ukrainian officials said Thursday.
Yushchenko fell severely ill during the 2004 presidential election campaign, and after treatment in Austria was diagnosed as having suffered massive dioxin poisoning. The illness left his face badly pockmarked and discolored.
Yushchenko has accused Russia of hampering the probe, saying that it was the only one of three countries which produce dioxin of the formula that was found in his body not to have submitted its samples to Ukrainian investigators.
He has also said that Russia was not handing over suspects in the case. Ukrainian authorities have not named any suspects.