Russia's Investigative Committee announced the death of Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt, 53, in a suspected suicide, the same day he was removed from office by President Vladimir Putin.

Starovoyt — a former governor of the Kursk region, bordering Ukraine — reportedly took his own life inside his Tesla in a town west of Moscow.

His death comes amid a corruption investigation into the construction of defensive fortifications in the region he ruled until May 2024. It is the first suicide by a senior Russian official in years, and the first related to decisions made during the war in Ukraine. It is not yet clear whether Starovoyt killed himself before or after Putin announced his dismissal.

Roman Starovoyt's successor as head of the Kursk region, along with his deputy, have been arrested as part of an investigation accusing them of embezzling at least 1 billion rubles (over $12 million) in public funds intended for the construction of defensive fortifications. According to several Russian media and Telegram channels, Starovoyt himself was also under investigation for possible involvement in the case.

(Online Union)

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