Roman Starovoyt, who served as Russia’s transport minister since May 2024, was fired in a presidential decree earlier in the day. Hours later, the body of Starovoyt, 53, was found in his car with a gunshot wound, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the top criminal investigation agency.

Former Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit died by suicide on Monday, just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin fired him from the job, officials said.

Roman V. Starovoyt, the transport minister, had governed the Kursk region before Ukrainian forces occupied part of it in 2024.