Russia: Minister dies by suicide hours after Putin fires him – officials comfirm

The death of Former Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit , is undergoing investigations after his body was discovered just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin fired him from the job.

Officials confirmed that Starovoit was dismissed by Putin on Monday – to which was decreed and published on the official Kremlin website, with his deputy Andrey Nikitin appointed acting minister.

Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov in engagement with reports indicated that Starovoits relief of duty was due to a “lack of trust,” but he did not give any alternative reason.

The Investigative Committee of Russia said in a statement that Starovoit’s body was found inside a car in Odintsovo, a suburb of Moscow. He was found with a gunshot wound, the committee said. It said the circumstances of his death were being investigated but the “main theory is suicide.”