Roman V. Starovoyt, the transport minister, had governed Russia’s western Kursk region before Ukrainian forces invaded in 2024 and occupied part of the territory.

Russia’s transport minister was found dead Monday in what authorities called a suspected suicide, hours after he was dismissed from his post by President Vladimir Putin. Roman Starovoyt, 53, was found in his car in a suburb west of Moscow with a gunshot wound, Russia’s Investigative Committee said.