Former Russian Transport Minister Found Dead After Dismissal by Putin

According to Russian state media, Roman Starovoy, who served as Minister of Transport, took his own life just a few hours following his removal from office by President Vladimir Putin. The information was provided by the country's Investigative Committee through reports by state news outlets.

Starovoy was discovered deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his vehicle in the city of Odintsovo, located to the west of Moscow. The Investigative Committee relayed through the TASS agency that they are probing the circumstances surrounding the event, with suicide being their primary line of inquiry.

Mystery surrounds the conflicting timelines of Starovoy's death as various sources provide differing accounts. Forbes cited anonymous sources claiming his death occurred in the early hours between Saturday and Sunday, differing from state media timelines.

President Putin had relieved Starovoy of his duties merely hours prior, amid a backdrop of chaos in Russian air traffic caused by recent disruptions. Scores of flights were cancelled and passengers found themselves stranded over the weekend, although no formal reason for his dismissal was given.

Unexpected Deaths Among Russian Officials Raise Questions

Following Starovoy's sudden death, another official within the Transport Ministry, Andrei Korneichuk, also passed away under abrupt circumstances at a meeting in his Moscow office. Korneichuk, who served as a deputy within the Federal Road Agency, reportedly collapsed during the assembly.

This incident was corroborated by multiple Russian news outlets. The initial medical reports suggest that a heart attack was the cause of Korneichuk's untimely demise.

These occurrences are the latest in a chain of mysterious deaths involving Russian officials, including the recent demise of Andrei Badalov, a vice-president with the Russian state oil company, Transneft. His body was found outside a residence in Moscow, leaving behind a note for his spouse.