MOSCOW, Russia: Just hours after his sudden dismissal by President Vladimir Putin, Russia's former transport minister, Roman Starovoit, was found dead with a gunshot wound in a Tesla parked outside Moscow.

Investigators say suicide is the main line of inquiry, but the backdrop of a major corruption probe is fuelling wider speculation.

A presidential decree released earlier on July 7 announced Starovoit's removal from office but did not provide a reason. The 53-year-old had served as transport minister for just over a year, following a five-year term as governor of the border-facing Kursk region.

Political observers were quick to connect his dismissal to an ongoing investigation into alleged embezzlement linked to funds allocated in 2022 for fortifying Russia's border with Ukraine. Reuters could not confirm this connection independently, but a transport industry insider said Starovoit had been under scrutiny for several months.

The corruption probe focuses on 19.4 billion roubles (US$246 million) allocated for border defences. Investigators are examining whether the funds were used correctly or siphoned off. In April, Starovoit's former deputy and successor as governor, Alexei Smirnov, was formally charged with embezzlement.

Several Russian outlets reported that Smirnov had implicated Starovoit in the fraud during his questioning by state investigators. Smirnov has denied the charges, and his lawyer declined to comment.

The Investigative Committee, Russia's central federal crime agency, said it is working to determine the exact circumstances of Starovoit's death. Local media, citing police sources, reported that his body was found with a head wound near a park close to his home, and a pistol registered in his name was discovered nearby.

Starovoit, who was divorced and had two daughters, took office as transport minister in May 2024. Just three months into his role, Ukrainian forces staged a major cross-border raid into Kursk — the most significant such incursion into Russian territory since World War Two.

Russia's transport sector is under mounting strain amid the prolonged war in Ukraine. Aviation faces a parts shortage, high interest rates burden Russian Railways, and Ukrainian drone strikes frequently disrupt airports.

Following Starovoit's dismissal, the Kremlin announced that Andrei Nikitin, previously governor of Novgorod, had been appointed acting transport minister. Photos of Nikitin meeting with Putin were released shortly after the appointment.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin believed Nikitin possessed the "professional qualities and experience" required for the role. The transport ministry declined to comment.

Nikitin told the president that his top priority would be digitising Russia's logistics systems to cut congestion and ease cross-border trade disruptions.