Moscow: The Russian transport minister, Roman Starovoit, who was recently dismissed by President Vladimir Putin, has been discovered dead with a gunshot wound in a vehicle, according to the central investigative committee in Moscow. The discovery was reported on Monday, with officials currently exploring the circumstances surrounding the incident. The primary theory being considered is suicide, as stated by Svetlana Petrenko, the spokeswoman for the investigative authority.

According to Ghana News Agency, Russian media has reported that the 53-year-old politician allegedly shot himself at his residence in Odintsovo, located in the Moscow region. Earlier in the day, a decree published in Moscow announced Starovoit's departure from his ministerial role without providing specific reasons for his removal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also refrained from giving details on the dismissal.

Following Starovoit's departure, his deputy, Andrey Nikitin, has been appointed as the acting transport minister. Meanwhile, Starovoit's successor in the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, has been detained on allegations of fraud. Smirnov assumed the governorship in May 2024 but resigned in December after a Ukrainian incursion.

The allegations against Smirnov pertain to the misappropriation of funds intended for constructing fortifications along the Ukrainian border. These structures were initiated in 2022 after President Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. While Starovoit had claimed the completion of these facilities during his term as governor, no investigations involving him are currently known.

Additionally, Russian commentators have suggested that Starovoit's dismissal could be linked to ongoing disruptions at Russian airports. Numerous flight cancellations have plagued the holiday season due to frequent Ukrainian drone attacks, causing significant chaos.