Roman Starovoit, Russia’s former Transport Minister, was found dead on Monday just hours after being dismissed by President Vladimir Putin, report Russian authorities. Officials say the death is being treated as a suicide.
The 52-year-old politician was discovered with a gunshot wound in Odintsovo, a suburb near Moscow. State-controlled media outlets reported that investigators believe he took his own life.
Earlier the same day, the Kremlin announced that Starovoit had been relieved of his duties, though no official reason for his dismissal was provided. His firing comes amid mounting public frustration over widespread flight delays, cancellations, and passenger chaos at airports across the country in recent days — disruptions reportedly caused by Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian infrastructure.
Starovoit’s death takes place against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Russia and the West, as Ukraine continues to intensify its use of long-range drones to strike inside Russian territory. These strikes have increasingly targeted infrastructure beyond the front lines, raising concerns about Russia’s domestic preparedness.
Image: Pool photo by Maxim Shemetov/EFE via EPA
