By Shane Croucher
Roman Starovoyt was found dead in what police believe was a suicide, Russian state media reported, hours after he was fired by President Vladimir Putin from his role as transport minister.Starovoyt was found dead at his home on Monday, July 7, with a firearm nearby, RIA Novosti reported.He was the governor of Russia’s Kursk region until May 2024, when he was appointed to the transportation role by Putin.But Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk fueled scrutiny of Starovoyt’s job preparing the border defenses, and his deputy is implicated in a corruption scandal related to border fortifications, The Moscow Times reported.The Kremlin’s announcement gave no reason for Starovoyt’s dismissal. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on it.Over the weekend, hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo and St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airports, and thousands of travelers faced long waits.Other airports in western and central Russia also faced disruptions because of Ukrainian drone attacks.This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.