A 27-year-old Ukrainian chess champion and his girlfriend, 18, have been found dead in their Moscow flat, apparently poisoned by laughing gas.
Media reports say Stanislav Bogdanovich and Alexandra Vernigora – also a top chess player – were found with balloons containing the gas, nitrous oxide. The gas is inhaled using a balloon.
Russian investigators reported the deaths, without naming the pair, and said there were no signs of foul play.
Bogdanovich was a speed chess champion.
Vernigora was also a professional chess player and was studying at Moscow State University.
