Russia says minister found dead hours after being fired by Putin died by suicide
Authorities said Starovoyt's body was found in a Moscow suburb after the firing was announced with 'suicide' being considered as the most likely cause of death.
Starovoyt, who was 53, served as Russia's transport minister since May 2024 last year. He was previously the governor of the Kursk region, where Russia had battled a Ukrainian incursion.
'Today, the body of former Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt was found in his private car with a gunshot wound in the Odintsovo district,' the Investigative Committee said in a statement.
'The main version (considered) is suicide,' it added.
Russian state media and news agencies said Starovoyt shot himself.
It was not clear exactly when Starovoyt died.
Advertisement
President Vladimir Putin and his then transport minister Roman Starovoyt in January 2025
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Hours earlier, the Kremlin published a decree signed by Putin to relieve Starovoyt of his duties.
It only said: 'Roman Starovoyt was relieved of the post of Minister of Transport.'
Starovoyt's firing came after another weekend of travel chaos at Russian airports following Ukrainian drone attacks.
Russian state media also speculated the firing was linked to corruption in the Kursk region and a possible criminal case on the embezzlement of funds meant for fortifications in the border region.
Commenting on the firing, before Starovoyt's death was announced, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was 'not linked to a loss of trust'.
Shortly after the Kremlin announced the dismissal, Putin met with one of Starovoyt's deputies, Andrei Nikitin, to appoint him as acting transport minister.
-
© AFP 2025
If you are affected by issues mentioned in this article, support is available:
Samaritans
- 116 123 or email
jo@samaritans.org
(suicide, crisis support)
Text About It
- text HELLO to 50808 (mental health issues)
Pieta House
– 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444 – (suicide, self-harm)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Groom, 45, marries girl, 6, in horror wedding that even sickened Taliban… as harrowing pics show world of child brides
A 45-year-old groom allegedly married a six-year-old girl in Afghanistan in a wedding that left even the Taliban "horrified". The man, who is already said to have two wives, reportedly paid money in exchange for taking the girl as a bride in a sick case. 7 A six-year-old girl was allegedly forced to marry a 45-year-old man in Afghanistan 7 A Taliban security personnel stands guard as Afghan burqa-clad women wait in queue Credit: AFP 7 Pakistani policemen rescue 7-year-old son Mohammad Waseem (R) and his 4-year old 'bride' Nisha (L) during a raid in Karachi, Pakistan, 31 October 2008 Credit: EPA 7 A 10-year-old Yemeni girl who ran away from a forced marriage with an older man, pictured with her father Credit: Eyevine The child's father and the groom were later arrested, but neither of them has been charged. While the shocking case has sparked outrage, it is understood that the marriage still lasts. The Taliban, who are known for their brutal laws against women, reportedly opposed the marriage and asked to groom to wait until the bride turned nine. Child marriage in Afghanistan has spread more severely under the Taliban's ban on female education and employment. A local activist named Mahbob told Afghan Times: "There are many families in our village who have given away their daughters for money. "No one helps them. People are desperate." Afghanistan does not have a codified minimum marriage age, with the Taliban nullifying the previous age limit of 16 set after the 2001 Western invasion. By the beginning of the 21st century, most countries around the world enacted laws establishing the general minimum age for marriage at 18 years. Most read in The US Sun However, in many of these countries, some exceptions allowed marriage before this age with the consent of the parents and/or by court decision. In some countries, a religious marriage is still recognised by the state authorities, while in others, a registered civil marriage is mandatory. Earlier this year, The amendments to law will allow girls in their teens - or as young as nine- to be married, ignoring the country's previous minimum age of 18. The age goes as low as nine because of Ja'fari school of Islamic law followed by many Shiite religious authorities in Iraq. The Ja'fari school of thought focuses on various aspects of governance, legislation, and judiciary in the country. It heavily relies on Ijtihad, which is an Islamic legal term referring to independent reasoning by an expert in Islamic law. But Intisar al-Mayali, a Read more on the Irish Sun She also declared that the change "will leave disastrous effects on the rights of women and girls through the Yanar Mohammed, president of the Organisation of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) said the proposals served to "terrorise Iraqi women and civil society with a legislation that strips away all the rights that Iraqi women gained in modern times." 7 Yemeni child-bride Nujoud Ali Hasan, 10, (L), her lawyer (2nd from L) and her husband (R) at the court during her divorce session in Yemeni capital Sana'a Credit: Khaled Al-Hammadi 7 Seven-year-old groom Mohammad Waseem (R) sits with his four-year-old bride Nisha (L) and his father Mohammad Ismil Credit: Reuters 7 Six-year-old Radha (R) cries during a marriage ritual as she is wedded to Sunder Singh, 10, in a village near Jodhpur Credit: Reuters FORCED MARRIAGE IN THE UK A national Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) was created in 2005, followed by the Forced Marriage Protection Order (FMPO) in 2008 – a form of injunction to prevent contact from perpetrators, stop someone being taken out of the country and prohibit marriage arrangements – and 3,343 of these were issued by the courts to women at risk up to September last year. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 made it a criminal offence in England, It carries a prison sentence of up to seven years. In February, the legal age for marriage was raised to 18 in England and Wales after a 10-year campaign by the Girls Not Brides coalition, with non-legally-binding traditional ceremonies also banned. Yet, there are still on average 12 to 15 honour-based murders a year in the UK – and experts believe that is the tip of the iceberg as some families take girls overseas where there is less scrutiny. A report in May by the Cases Are almost always the culmination of a lifetime of mistreatment, known as honour-based abuse (HBA). The Mandatory collection of this data was only introduced in 2019 and there has been an 81% rise in cases over recent years, although this is thought to be down to greater awareness.
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Iran's aging & paranoid Ayatollah is hanging by a thread – I know how it will all come crashing down, says ex-ambassador
IRAN'S merciless regime is "fully on its heels" - leaving the Ayatollah's days numbered, a former US ambassador says. But the West will not be able to topple Tehran's brutal dictatorship, Mark D. Wallace, CEO & Founder of United Against Nuclear Iran, warned. 10 Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on July 5 Credit: Getty 10 A building on fire after an Israeli strike in Tehran Credit: AFP 10 Airstrike craters at Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP) Credit: AFP The ex-ambassador to the UN said it will be down to the Iranian people - who have suffered outrageous repression for decades - to finally end the regime's rule. Iron-fist fanatics have used violent and ruthless measures, including executions and torture, in a twisted bid to stamp out opposition and silence critics. The regime's future now appears to be hanging by a thread, however, as it sits in a "combustible state" following the obliteration of its nuclear empire by the US and Israel. Several of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's top military brass were wiped out in the 12-day war - leaving the barbaric ruler vulnerable. More on Iran Power held by Iran's terror proxies - including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen - has also been severely depleted. Wallace told The Sun: "The regime isn't just wounded, they're fully on their heels. "The very old Ayatollah has been hiding in a bunker somewhere, and there's clearly going to be some sort of transition. "Remember, there have only been two Ayatollahs. The question is, is there going to be a third." Most read in The Sun Iran's first Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power during the revolution of 1979 - ousting the Shah empire and transforming the state into a theocratic Islamic republic. His bloody rule was taken over by Khamenei following his death a decade later. Iran's Ayatollah breaks silence after WEEKS cowering in bunker during Israel's blitz and 'obliterating' Trump strikes Since then, Tehran has ramped up its nuclear ambitions and become an increasingly bigger threat to not only the Middle East but the West too. The US and Israel then took decisive action last month by staging an unprecedented blitz of Iran's nuclear bases. It dealt a major blow to Khamenei's top military brass - wiping out the commander in chief, deputy commander and boss of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. At least seven other generals were killed, as well as politician Ali Shamkhani - a close confidant of the Ayatollah - and two nuclear scientists. Khamenei cowered in hiding in a bunker as the chorus of voices fighting against repression and calling for the regime to be overthrown grew louder. Before the 12-day war, Israel had almost diminished the capabilities of terror proxies largely funded by Ukraine. Wallace said the "incredibly weak" Ayatollah will now be fearing his remaining generals could be spies. 10 Mojtaba Khamenei could be a succssor 10 The Chief Justice of Iran, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i, may also be in the running Credit: Getty 10 Iran's former president Hassan Rouhani could be selected Credit: AFP 10 An Iranian ballistic missile over the skies near Jerusalem in two salvos of missiles Credit: EPA "And there's no clear succession," he added. "The Ayatollah is on his heels. When he finally came out [of hiding] he sounded very weak. He sounded like an 86-year-old man who had been hiding in a bunker, trying to keep his regime alive. "Really it does call into question how long he will be there. We know he's going to die of either natural or unnatural causes sometime in the next couple of years. "The question is, what happens next? And I think he's doing everything he can to try to find some sort of path to succession, to continue this revolutionary regime." Khamenei will now be scrambling to have a clear succession mapped out - with at least five of his top confidants thought to be in the running. The aging despot's son Mojtaba Khamenei is a cleric and close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, so could be high on the potential list of successors. Also in the running is likely to be Assembly of Experts members Alireza Arafi and Hojjatal Islam Mohsen Qomi and reform-minded presidents such as Hassan Rouhani. The head of Iran's judicial system Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i meanwhile is thought of as a front-runner to take the reins. The ruling establishment will try to immediately name a successor to Khamenei if he is killed or dies naturally. Despite the international outcry against the regime waging war against its own people and the threat of aggression to other nations, Wallace argued the West cannot help remove the fanatics. 10 Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, pictured meeting Pope Francis, could be Khamenei's choice Credit: Alamy 10 Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (right) speaks with the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei's representative, Hojjatal Islam Mohsen Qomi Credit: Getty 10 A demonstrator holding an Israeli flag and an Iranian flag in a protest against the Iranian government Credit: Reuters "The only path ultimately is for the regime to fall - but that is solely in the control of the Iranian people," he said. "Sadly, the Iranian people will suffer, and a good number will likely have to die for that to happen, and they're being persecuted as we speak. "There's this regrettable debate going on about regime change, as if somehow we can engage in a direct strategy to engage in regime change. We can't. "We can do everything we can to support Iranian people and degrade the regime's ability to threaten all of us through nuclear weapons or threaten us with terrorism and transnational oppression. "We can also do everything we can to sanction and impede the ability of the state security apparatus to oppress its own people. "But, ultimately, the kinetic moment when the dry leaves and the twigs of a forest catch fire, as a metaphor for revolution, is up to the Iranian people." Inside Iran's brutal crackdown on its own people by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) TYRANNICAL leaders in Iran have demanded citizens act as undercover informants to turn in anyone who dares oppose the regime, insiders say. Panicked mullahs have also ordered "telecom cages" be installed around prisons as the regime Political prisoners - largely Insiders say their treatment is being weaponised to deter opposition. The fight against repression has loomed large for decades in the rogue state - but the so-called 12-day war last month has made the barbaric Ayatollah more fearful than ever of being toppled. With Ali Khamenei's grip weakened by the unprecedented Israeli and US blitz, the incapacitated supreme leader has discharged fresh hell on his own people in a corrupt bid to stifle uprising. Sources inside Iran told The Sun how a direct alert has been issued to the public, urging them to report any activity linked to resistance groups of the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Regime loyalists have been implored to act as informants - compiling detailed reports with photos, times, locations, licence plates and facial features of suspected individuals.
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Moment alleged Russian spy ‘drops off USB stick in bike seat to leak Grant Shapps's sensitive details'
THIS is the moment a man accused of being a Russian spy dropped off a USB stick - allegedly containing sensitive details about Grant Shapps - underneath a bike seat. A court has been shown photographs that allegedly see Howard Phillips, 65, delivering a secretive message for his "Russian handlers". Advertisement 6 Newly released pictures reveal the moment Mr Phillips allegedly dropped a USB stick containing private information about Grant Shapps inside a bike Credit: Solent 6 Mr Philips being arrested at a Black Sheep Coffee outlet in London Credit: Solent 6 Grant Shapps served as defence secretary from August 2023 to July 2024 Credit: AFP Mr Phillips is currently on trial accused of trying to spy for the Pictures shown to Winchester Crown Court allegedly show him following his handlers' instructions by dropping off a message inside a USB stick in the opened seat shaft of a bike. Prosecutors alleged that Mr Phillips wanted to "offer services" to Russian intelligence but unknowingly was corresponding with undercover British security service agents - whom he believed to be from the Kremlin. Another image shows the alleged spy, and previous insolvency worker, being arrested at a Black Sheep Coffee outlet in London. Advertisement Read More on UK News Other pictures display a phone and hotel rooms he allegedly bought on behalf of the Russian "agents". The court heard how the dad of four - who was due to start a job with UK Border Force - handed the operatives a bag containing a USB stick with Shapps' personal details. These included his home address, phone number, and the location of his private plane. Mr Phillips, from Harlow, Essex, denies engaging in conduct to assist a foreign intelligence service. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Prosecutors argue that the former insolvency worker boasted he could get government clearance, as a result of his new job with Border Force. The court heard how Mr Phillips said he wanted the "agents" and him to be like "family", adding they could all "help and look after each other". Moment ringleader of bed-hopping Russian spy ring is snared as cops storm UK guesthouse He also allegedly claimed to have been in Shapps' home and had met him several times. In one meeting with the "agents", Mr Phillips said: "I have something. I don't know if you want it or don't want it. Advertisement "What do you know about the Secretary of Defence in the UK? Because, I have personal information which may be useful." Jurors were shown a letter Mr Phillips was allegedly handed during that same meeting, which read: "Dear Howard, thank you for your continued cooperation. Moscow very pleased with ongoing progress." He reportedly asked that, going forward, the officers refer to Moscow as "mother" in their messages. It is alleged that after this point, Mr Phillips continued to assist the supposed agents and did not withdraw his Border Force job application, which prosecutors say would have provided him with further access to Government information. Advertisement A note that promised "100 per cent loyalty" to the 6 Mr Phillips is accused of engaging in conduct to assist a foreign intelligence service Credit: Facebook 6 A close-up of the moment Mr Phillips allegedly dropped off the USB Credit: Solent 6 The USB stick in Mr Phillips' posession Credit: Solent Advertisement It also claimed Mr Phillips could move "under the radar" if he gained a valid government security vetting pass. The trial had heard previously how the dad had applied for a job with the UK Border Force in October 2023. However, he was unemployed at the time of the alleged spying, with Jocelyn Ledward KC, prosecuting, saying his "financial struggles" contributed to his "eagerness and desire" to help the RIS. Messages between Mr Phillips and the "Russian spies" began in March 2024, starting first over email before moving to WhatsApp, and eventually Signal. Advertisement Shapps served as defence secretary from August 2023 to July 2024 and would have been involved in countless important communications with Ukranian President The trial continues.
