A former Russian transport minister, Roman Starovoit, has died by suicide just hours after he was sacked by President Vladimir Putin, Russian officials confirmed on Monday.

The 52-year-old politician was found dead with a gunshot wound inside a car in Odintsovo, a suburb outside Moscow. Russia’s Investigative Committee said his death is being investigated but that suicide is the main theory.

Starovoit was removed from his post early Monday morning. A presidential decree confirming his dismissal was published on the Kremlin’s official website, and his deputy, Andrey Nikitin, was named acting transport minister. No clear reason was given for the sudden sacking, though Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted it was not due to a “lack of trust.”

Before his appointment as transport minister in May 2024, Starovoit served as governor of Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine. He had come under criticism for alleged security lapses during Ukraine’s surprise attacks on Russian border towns last year.

His removal came as Russia faced widespread air travel disruptions. Over the weekend and into Monday, nearly 500 flights were cancelled, with hundreds more delayed or diverted. While the Russian aviation agency blamed “external interference,” the Defence Ministry said over 400 Ukrainian missiles and drones were intercepted during the same period.

Starovoit’s sudden death adds to a growing list of unexplained or abrupt deaths among Russian officials and business elites since the war in Ukraine began in 2022.

Authorities have not suggested any foul play, but the Kremlin has remained quiet beyond confirming his dismissal.

More details later….