Russian minister was implicated in embezzlement investigation before death, sources say

MOSCOW (Reuters) -A sacked Russian official who was found dead with a gunshot wound in a park outside Moscow was implicated in an official investigation into the embezzlement of funds for strengthening the border with Ukraine, two sources told Reuters.

President Vladimir Putin on Monday dismissed Roman Starovoit, a former Kursk governor, as transport minister and asked Starovoit's deputy to replace him. Starovoit was found dead at a park just outside Moscow, state investigators announced a few hours later.

Two sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity that Starovoit's dismissal had been planned for some time because he was suspected of being involved in the embezzlement of funds earmarked for strengthening the defences in the Kursk region.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation. Starovoit's family could not be reached for comment.

The Kremlin said it was shocked by news of his death, but has refused to disclose the reasons for his dismissal. State prosecutors did not respond to a request for comment.

Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers smashed their way across the Russian border into the Kursk region in August 2024, the biggest foreign incursion into Russia since World War Two, in what was a major embarrassment for the Russian army.

Ukrainian forces were only pushed out of Kursk earlier this year, but swathes of the region were devastated and Russia said tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers had been killed or injured in the battles there. It did not disclose its own losses but Ukraine said they had been heavy.

RBC, a leading Russian media group, reported that Russian law enforcement agencies were checking Starovoit's involvement in the embezzlement of funds in the Kursk region.

Kommersant, one of Russia's leading newspapers, said those accused in the case had given evidence against Starovoit.

State prosecutors said in December that they had discovered embezzlement - including overstating construction costs - of some of the 19.4 billion roubles ($248 million) in state spending earmarked for strengthening the border in Kursk.

The work on strengthening the border began when Starovoit was governor of Kursk. Prosecutors said the work was not finished on time and that at least 3.2 billion roubles ($41 million) was missing.

Russia's State Investigative Committee, which investigates serious crimes, said its principal hypothesis was that Starovoit had taken his own life. A gun was found near his body.

It gave no further details and did not specify when he had been found dead.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Aidan Lewis)