Roman Starovoit was discovered lifeless close to his automobile within the Moscow area hours after President Vladimir Putin dismissed him.
Russia’s high legal investigation company is probing the dying of Roman Starovoit, a former transport minister whose physique was discovered with a gunshot wound close to his automobile, hours after President Vladimir Putin dismissed him from his put up.
Authorities on Monday stated the 53-year-old politician’s physique was found close to a Tesla car deserted close to a park within the Moscow area, with a pistol, registered in Starovoit’s identify, positioned close by.
The Investigative Committee has opened a case to find out the complete circumstances of his dying, suggesting it might be suicide. Russian media, citing regulation enforcement sources, stated the gunshot gave the impression to be self-inflicted.
Nevertheless, the timing of the dying has prompted hypothesis.
Putin issued a decree earlier on Monday, eradicating Starovoit as transport minister, a task he had held for simply greater than a 12 months. No clarification was supplied.
Political commentators shortly linked the choice to a long-running corruption investigation within the Kursk area, the place Starovoit beforehand served as governor.
The probe centres on whether or not 19.4 billion roubles ($246m) allotted in 2022 to bolster border defences in Kursk have been embezzled.
The funds have been meant to bolster Russia’s frontier with Ukraine, however Ukrainian forces launched a cross-border assault into the area three months into Starovoit’s ministerial time period – the most important such incursion since World Warfare II.
In April, his successor and former deputy in Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, was charged with embezzling defence funds. A number of Russian retailers reported on Monday that Smirnov, who denies wrongdoing, had advised investigators Starovoit was additionally concerned within the alleged fraud.
The incident casts a shadow over Russia’s transport sector, already grappling with wartime pressures.
Western sanctions have left the aviation business struggling for spare components, whereas hovering rates of interest have pushed Russian Railways – the nation’s largest employer – into monetary pressure.
In the meantime, Ukraine’s drone assaults proceed to disrupt domestic air traffic, forcing momentary airport closures and resulting in logistical uncertainty.
Following Starovoit’s dismissal, the Kremlin introduced that Andrei Nikitin, former governor of the Novgorod area, had been appointed as appearing transport minister. Pictures launched by state media confirmed him shaking arms with Putin.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Putin believed Nikitin had the required expertise to steer the ministry by means of present challenges. At his assembly with the president, Nikitin pledged to modernise the sector by boosting digital infrastructure to enhance cargo flows and cross-border commerce.