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Russia's former Transport Minister Roman Starovoit shot himself lifeless in Odintsovo following his dismissal by President Vladimir Putin on July 7, the pro-government newspaper Izvestia reported, citing unnamed sources.
Starovoit's ouster got here after almost 500 flights had been grounded at main Russian airports on July 5–6 because of safety threats from Ukrainian drone assaults.
The next day, an explosion aboard the Eco Wizard tanker on the Ust-Luga port in Leningrad Oblast triggered an ammonia leak, including to the disaster engulfing Russia's transportation sector.
Starovoit, sanctioned by Ukraine and Western international locations for his position within the struggle in opposition to Ukraine, had served as governor of Russia's Kursk Oblast earlier than being appointed transport minister in Could 2024.
In keeping with Russian media, Starovoit's physique was discovered close to Moscow. Preliminary findings recommend that the suicide could also be linked to a doable legal case.
Media shops report that the previous minister shot himself utilizing an honorary firearm he had obtained from the Inside Ministry in 2023.
In keeping with media studies, former Kursk Oblast official Aleksei Smirnov, who had beforehand served as Starovoit's deputy, had supplied testimony implicating Starovoit. Smirnov himself was arrested earlier on suspicion of embezzling 1 billion rubles (over $12 million) in the course of the building of defensive constructions within the border area.
An investigation into the large-scale theft of state funds in Kursk Oblast is presently underway, with a number of of Starovoit's former deputies remaining beneath suspicion, together with Smirnov, who briefly served as performing governor.
State-controlled RIA Novosti, citing Russia's Investigative Committee, reported that Starovoit's physique was found inside his non-public automobile with a gunshot wound. Investigative groups from Russia's Predominant Investigative Directorate are reportedly working on the scene to find out the precise circumstances. The first idea into account is suicide.
The timing of the loss of life stays unclear. Andrei Kartapolov, head of the State Duma Protection Committee, confirmed the loss of life to RTVI, stating solely that it occurred "fairly a while in the past," with out elaborating additional.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy