Doctors: Yushchenko poisoned with dioxin
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-12-11 22:57

Dioxin poisoning caused the mysterious illness of Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, a doctor said Saturday, adding that the poison could have been put in his soup.

Ukrainian former Prime Minister and presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, with his face disfigured by illness, speaks to the media during a news conference in Kiev, in this Friday, Nov. 19, 2004 photo. [AP]

"There is no doubt about the fact that Mr. Yushchenko's disease has been caused by a case of poisoning by dioxin," said Dr. Michael Zimpfer, director of Vienna's private Rudolfinerhaus clinic.

Zimpfer said Yushchenko's blood and tissue registered concentrations of dioxin — one of the most toxic chemicals — that were 1,000 times above normal levels.

"It would be quite easy to administer this amount in a soup," Zimpfer said, adding that tests showed the dioxin was taken orally. "There is suspicion of third party involvement."

Tests run over the past 24 hours provided conclusive evidence of the poisoning, Zimpfer said.

When first seen by the Austrian doctors, Yushchenko was in a "critical stage" but was "not on the verge of dying," Zimpfer said.

He is now in "satisfactory" condition and his dioxin levels have returned to normal, Zimpfer said.

Yushchenko has accused Ukrainian authorities of trying to poison him in the runup to a Nov. 21 presidential runoff vote.

Citing fraud, Ukraine's Supreme Court voided the outcome of that vote, which Yushchenko lost to Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, and a rerun of the ballot is slated for Dec. 26.

Yushchenko first fell ill in September and was rushed to the Vienna hospital. He resumed campaigning later in the month but with a pockmarked and badly disfigured face.

He returned to the hospital later in September for further treatment and checked in for a third time Friday.

Dioxin is formed as a by-product from industrial processes such as waste incineration, chemical and pesticide manufacturing and pulp and paper bleaching.

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