Russian minister sacked by Putin found dead

Former Russian transport minister Roman Starovoit, who was recently dismissed by President Vladimir Putin, has been found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Russia's Investigative Committee. Starovoit had been appointed as minister in May 2024 and previously served as the governor of the Kursk region. His successor, Aleksey Smirnov, was arrested in April for embezzlement, and Starovoit was reportedly going to be implicated in the case. The circumstances surrounding Starovoit's death and his relationship with Putin remain unclear.