Dismissed by Putin, ex-minister commits suicide

Roman Starovoit, who was removed from the position of Minister of Transport today, has died. According to the preliminary version, he committed suicide, the Investigative Committee of Russia stated.

The body of 53-year-old Starovoit with a gunshot wound was found on Monday in his personal vehicle in the Odintsovo urban district, the ICR reports.

"The investigative authorities of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Moscow Region are working at the scene, establishing the circumstances of the incident. The main version is suicide," the department's statement said.

Earlier on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Starovoit's dismissal from the post of head of the Russian Ministry of Transport. The document did not include any wording about the reasons for the official's dismissal.

Starovoit had held the position of minister for just over a year - since May 2024. Before that, he was the governor of the Kursk region for more than five years.