- This story is developing, more to follow
A Russian minister has shot himself dead just hours are being sacked by Vladimir Putin.
Former transport minister Roman Starovoit, 53, was reportedly found dead at his home, having apparently taken his own life with his gun.
A spokesperson for the Investigative Committee of Russia said that he was ‘found in a personal car with a gunshot wound.’
A firearm was found near Starovoit’s body near his home in the village of Myakinino, in the Odintsovo district of Moscow region.
No reason was given for Starovoit’s dismissal, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refusing to comment on it.
Putin named Starovoyt’s deputy, Andrey Nikitin, as acting transport minister. Nikitkin was the governor of Russia‘s Novgorod region until February.
The gun Starovoit reportedly used to shoot himself was awarded to him by the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2023.
Reports said the last time Starovoit communicated with his family was two days ago.
Former transport minister Roman Starovoit (pictured) was reportedly found dead at his home, having apparently taken his own life with his gun
According to sources, on July 5, he arrived at the competition to see his daughter in a dejected state, stayed there for less than an hour, hugged her and left. He did not contact his family again.
He was sacked following the cancellation and delaying of hundreds of flights at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo and St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airports over the weekend.
Thousands of travellers in Russia’s two biggest cities faces massive wait times, while other airports in western and central Russia also faced disruptions because of Ukrainian drone attacks.
A total of 485 flights were cancelled between Saturday and today, with 1,900 services delayed.
Some 43,000 ticket refunds have been issued so far, with 94,000 people accommodated in hotels by airlines.
Impatient passengers were marooned in overcrowded terminals, with worst hit airports being major hub Sheremetyevo in Moscow and Pulkovo in St Petersburg, where 7,000 stranded flyers were marooned this morning.
But multiple regional airports were hit too, including in Siberia. The cost of the mayhem was put at £186 million, a figure that is only rising.
‘Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian airports are aimed at undermining air logistics,’ said Telegram channel Kremlin Whisperer.
‘Schedule disruptions, delays of hundreds of flights, suspension of operations at five airports – all this is becoming not just a tactical, but a strategic action aimed at shaking the usual rhythm of life and demonstrating the vulnerability of the system.’
More to follow.
