Russia's former Transport Minister has been found dead with a "gunshot wound" in his car, the nation's investigative committee has said.

It comes just hours after Vladimir Putin sacked him after a "loss of trust"

Roman Starovoit, the ex-governor of the Kursk region, has been reported to have taken his own life.

The circumstances surrounding Starovoit's death are being investigated.

Russia's former Transport Minister has been found dead with a 'gunshot wound' in his car, the nation's investigative committee has said

The Investigative Committee of Russia released a statement on Monday.

It read: "The body of the former minister of transport of the Russian Federation, Roman Vladimirovich Starovoit, was discovered in his personal vehicle with a gunshot wound today in the Odintsovo city district."

The statement added: "The main version is suicide."

Starovoyt served as the Minister of Transport since May last year.

Starovoyt has served as the Minister of Transport since May last year

Prior to his appointment in Putin's Government, he had spent almost five years as governor of the Kursk region bordering Ukraine.