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The Russian Investigation Committee said on Monday that Transport Minister Romaster Voight, 53, died on suspicion of suicide on the same day he was fired by President Vladimir Putin.
Several telegram channels with close ties to security services reported that Starvoyt, the former head of the Kursk region across the Ukrainian border, shot himself in the Tesla Model X, in the town west of Moscow.
Starovoyt’s death came amid a corruption investigation into the construction of Kursk’s defensive fortress, which governed until May 2024.
It was the first suicide of a Russian official over the years, and the first in scrutiny over decisions made during the war in Ukraine.
The first report of Starvoite’s suicide came just hours after Putin officially rejected him from his ministerial post Monday morning, but it was unclear whether he died before or after the order’s signature.
A criminal case was opened over allegations of embezzlement related to the construction of a defensive fortress that includes the so-called “dragon’s teeth” in the Kursk area.
Starovoyt’s successor as governor of the Kursk region, along with his lieutenant, has been accused of embezzling at least RBS 100 million (over $12 million) with state funds allocated for construction, being arrested as part of an investigation.
Several Russian media and Telegram channels reported that Starovoyt is under investigation as there is a possibility that he may be involved in the incident.
This is a developing story
