Former Russian Transport Minister Found Dead Hours After Dismissal

Roman Starovoyt, Russia's transport minister and former governor of the Kursk region, was found dead in his car from a gunshot wound hours after being dismissed by President Vladimir Putin. Russian authorities are investigating the death as a possible suicide, with a firearm found near his body. Starovoyt's dismissal came amid travel disruptions caused by Ukrainian drone attacks and ongoing investigations into corruption and embezzlement related to funds allocated for fortifications in the Kursk border region during his governorship. His successor as governor, Aleksey Smirnov, was arrested for embezzlement, and Starovoyt was reportedly about to be named a defendant in the same case. Kremlin officials denied that Starovoyt's dismissal was due to a loss of trust, emphasizing the importance of the transport ministry's functions, while Putin appointed Starovoyt's deputy, Andrei Nikitin, as acting transport minister. The incident highlights the internal challenges faced by the Russian government amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine and domestic political tensions.