Gardaí investigating mystery collapse of former Russian PM

The mystery illness that struck a former Russian Prime Minister ahead of a conference in Ireland last week has become the subject of a garda investigation.

Yegor Gaidar collapsed in Maynooth last Friday ahead of a conference to promote his new book Death of an Empire.

The 50-year-old was rushed to hospital after fainting and vomiting blood and is understood to have been in a serious condition at one stage.

However, his condition improved and he later returned to Russia, where he is now recovering and undergoing tests.

Some associates of Mr Gaidar have claimed he may have been poisoned as no natural cause has been found to explain his illness.

However, doctors say they have found no evidence of poisoning.

An ex-bodyguard of Mr Gaidar reportedly met the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London on the day he fell ill with Polonium poisoning.

Mr Litvinenko later died of his illness and the HSE and Radiological Protection Institute say they are monitoring the situation in Ireland and will conduct tests if any evidence of poisoning is uncovered.