Roman Starovoit, Russia’s Transport Minister, was found dead from a gunshot wound in a car near Moscow on July 7, just hours after President Vladimir Putin dismissed him from office. Authorities are treating the case as a suspected suicide, though investigations are ongoing.

Putin had earlier signed a decree replacing Starovoit with his deputy, Andrey Nikitin. While the Kremlin denied that Starovoit’s removal was due to a “lack of trust,” no clear reason was given. The move comes amid swirling allegations that Starovoit was under investigation for misusing state funds during his time as governor of Kursk—a region later targeted by Ukrainian forces. His predecessor was arrested in April on related charges.

Starovoit’s ousting coincided with a weekend of severe disruption across Russia’s airspace. Over 1,900 flights were delayed or canceled, reportedly due to “external interference.” The Defense Ministry claimed it intercepted over 400 Ukrainian strikes, while Ukraine confirmed attacks on a Russian chemical plant producing drone parts.

Meanwhile, violence escalated in Ukraine. At least 12 civilians died and more than 90 were wounded in Russian attacks. In Kharkiv, drone strikes damaged residential areas and a kindergarten. Ukraine’s military said it downed most of the 101 drones launched by Russia. Also, six Ukrainian military enlistment centers have been targeted by Russian drones in recent days, raising concerns about attempts to disrupt recruitment.

This string of events underscores the rising tension and internal pressure facing Russia amid the ongoing war.