Russia’s transport chief dismissed by Putin found dead in suspected suicide
RUSSIA, JUL 7 – Roman Starovoit died by suicide hours after being dismissed amid a $246 million corruption probe and a transport crisis caused by Ukrainian drone attacks, Russian investigators said.
- Early Monday, investigators found Roman Starovoit’s body in his car outside his Odintsovo home, hours after President Vladimir Putin dismissed him in a decree.
- Controversy over misuse of state funds, media outlets suggested his removal was linked to an ongoing corruption probe, according to the Associated Press.
- Investigators from Russia’s Investigative Committee have opened a probe, considering suicide the main theory, and Deputy Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin was appointed acting minister shortly after.
- Amid the crackdown, Viktor Strigunov, former first deputy chief of the National Guard, was arrested on corruption and abuse charges, with sentences for Khalil Arslanov and Timur Ivanov also issued.
- At least four senior Russian officials and executives have died this year under suspicious circumstances, as Moscow intensifies its campaign against corruption within its ranks.
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Glam girlfriend who ID'd Putin minister's body could be BANNED from funeral
THE girlfriend of Vladimir Putin’s transport official who was found dead ahead of a fraud inquiry could be banned from his funeral. Roman Starovoit, 53, was sacked by Vlad on Monday after he couldn’t stop Ukraine causing mayhem to Russia’s aviation industry – and was found dead hours later. Polina Korneeva had dated Roman Starovoit for several yearsNewsflash Newsflash25-year-old Polina might be barred from attending her boyfriend’s funeral[/capt…
Russia was rocked on Monday by one of the biggest scandals since the start of the Special Military Operation.
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The Russian transport minister may have died before Putin fired him. Starovoyt officially committed suicide, but given the increasing number of suicides and falls from windows since the war against Ukraine, his death could unsettle the previously protected official elite, even if the Kremlin did not remove him.
His body was found in a park on the outskirts of Moscow – with a gunshot wound to the head and a gun next to his body.
The case of Roman Starovoit is reminiscent of the fate of Soviet Interior Minister Nikolai Shchelokov, who faced charges of corruption, theft and abuse of power after he was removed from office.
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