Russian Minister Found Dead In Car After Putin Sacking

Russia’s former transport minister has been found dead in his car just hours after it was revealed he had been sacked by Vladimir Putin.

Initial investigations suggest Roman Starovoit took his own life using a handgun.

In a statement, the Investigative Committee of Russia said: “The body of the former minister of transport of the Russian Federation, Roman Vladimirovich Starovoit, was discovered in his personal vehicle with a gunshot wound today in the Odintsovo city district.”

The statement added: “The main version is suicide.”

Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Russian parliament’s defence committee, said Starovoit had died “quite a while ago”.

Earlier on Monday, it was announced that Putin had sacked Starovoit after just over a year in the job.

He had been governor of the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, for nearly five years before taking on his ministerial role.

Before Starovoit’s dismissal, Russian airlines had cancelled nearly 500 flights and delayed almost 2,000 since Saturday because of the threat of Ukrainian drones.

He was replaced as transport minister by his deputy, Andrei Nikitin.

A Kremlin spokesperson said: “At present, in the president’s opinion, Andrei Nikitin’s professional qualities and experience will best contribute to ensuring that this agency, which the president described as extremely important, fulfils its tasks and functions.”