Russia's former transport minister was found dead in his car outside Moscow with a gunshot wound, hours after President Vladimir Putin fired him.

Russia's transport minister was found dead from a gunshot wound in an apparent suicide, investigators said Monday -- news that broke hours after the Kremlin announced he had been dismissed by President Vladimir Putin.

Former Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit died by suicide on Monday, just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin fired him from the job, officials said.