Moscow  - Russia reported its first swine-flu fatalities with the deaths of two women in its far east, the Interfax news agency said Tuesday.

A pregnant 29-year-old and a 50-year-old died of the H1N1 strain of the flu in the south-east Siberian city of Chita, said the country's top medical official, Gennady Onishchenko.

The government has reported 1,349 cases of swine flu, but experts said they believe the number is much higher.

Onishchenko said both women who died also suffered from pneumonia. The foetus of the younger woman could not be saved, he said. (dpa)