Ukrainian Chess Champion Found Dead In Russia

Ukrainian Chess Champion Found Dead In Russia
My Take
Originally March 6, 2020



A Ukrainian chess champion and his girlfriend were found dead in Moscow today. The 27 year old and his 18 year old girlfriend--also very skilled at chess--died from an overdose of nitrous oxide, aka "laughing gas." Authorities say they do not suspect foul play.

So, a random drug overdose or a well-played Russian assassination? The GRU is known for its usage of poisons to make murders look like other causes of death. Nitrous oxide rarely causes fatal overdoses: I just did a brief search and did the math, and 470,000 Brits did the drug over the previous year. Yet over the course of 6 years (2006-12), it caused or was a part of 17 deaths. So, 0.0006% of anybody doing nitrous in a given year will die because of it (based off of the UK data). 

So to OD while in Moscow just seems a little strange...Oh, and let's not forget, Russia and Ukraine are currently engaged in a war. 

On the other hand, Stanislav Bogdanovich received a lot of criticism from his fellow Ukrainian countrymen because he represented Russia in a recent high-profile match. The chess master dismisses accusations of betraying his country, saying that it was just business, currently living in Russia and he was treated well while there. 

Also, offing a chess player, however good and even when coming from an enemy nation...what does that accomplish? I mean, getting rid of billionaire Russian oligarchs living in London who fund opposition parties to challenge Putin's power...that makes sense. A chess guy though? I can't see a purpose for that...maybe Moscow is thinking 5 moves ahead.




Works Cited

-BBC, British stats including deaths related to nitrous oxide. 
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33691783

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