THE girlfriend of Vladimir Putin’s transport official who was found dead ahead of a fraud inquiry could be banned from his funeral.

Roman Starovoit, 53, was dismissed by Vladimir Putin on Monday after he failed to prevent Ukraine from wreaking havoc on Russia’s aviation sector – and was discovered deceased just hours later.

He was found beside his Tesla with a bullet wound to his head as the mystery behind his “suicide” deepens.

Now it has emerged that his long-term girlfriend, 25-year-old Polina Korneeva, might be barred from attending his funeral.

Polina was brought to the scene by law enforcement to identify the corpse on Monday.

Political sources believed the couple were about to wed after photos of Polina in a wedding dress emerged, taken for a fashion magazine.

Dad-of-two Starovoit divorced his wife in 2021, and Polina had become renowned as the First Lady of Kursk while he was regional governor.

But the 25-year-old’s dad, named only as Eduard in Russian media, revealed there are doubts over whether she will be allowed to attend his funeral.

He said: “We spoke with Polina after Roman’s death. But she didn’t really tell us anything.

“My daughter is very upset, she is in a depressed mood, she even refuses to talk to people around her.

“We don’t know yet whether Polina will be able to attend the funeral.”

He added: “Of course, I knew about my daughter’s relationship with Roman.

“They dated for several years. But I don’t want to discuss how I felt about my daughter’s choice.

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“We tried not to interfere in her personal life; she has the right to make such decisions herself.”

Eduard went on to say that he didn’t want to discuss “the details of how they first met” – alluding to their big age difference.

Following 53-year-old Starovoit’s death, Kremlin officials were quick to circulate the theory that he had committed suicide.

Svetlana Petrenko, spokeswoman for the Investigative Committee of Russia, stated: “Today in the Odintsovo urban district, the body of the former Russian Federation Minister of Transport, Roman Starovoit, was located in a private vehicle with a gunshot injury.

“Investigative authorities from the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Moscow Region are currently on-site, working to determine the details of the occurrence.

“The main version is suicide.”

Yet, Sergei Markov, director of Russia’s Institute of Political Studies, sensationally went on the record to suggest Starovoit had been murdered. 

He said: “The Russian elite was shocked by the suicide of Roman Starovoit, the former Minister of Transport, just a few hours after Putin removed him.

“But it seems to me that those who eliminated him – that is, those against whom he could have testified after his arrest – are trying to hide his real murder by using the suicide version.”

Starovoit was sacked amid unconfirmed rumours he was implicated in a major corruption scandal.

Putin gave no reason for his dismissal, later denying he had lost trust in him. 

His successor, Alexey Smirnov, was recently detained for embezzlement during the construction of border fortifications – and one version suggests he may have testified against Starovoit.

Officials caught in corruption scandals often go to prison, raising questions about if Starovoit was set to be sent to the gulag by Vlad.

If his death is in fact a suicide, Starovoit’s death would be a blow to Putin as his sacked ministers usually take being sent to prison on the chin.

Staravoit was the Governor of Kursk from 2018 to 2024, when it was invaded and partially occupied by Ukraine forces.

Russian police and security officials are said to be investigating his death as a suicide.

Reports said the last time Starovoit communicated with his family was two days ago.

Starovoit had divorced his wife in 2021, the mother of his two children, and started a relationship with Polina.

The dead ex-minister had a daughter 15, and son, 18.

According to sources, on July 5, he arrived at the competition to see his daughter, stayed there for less than an hour, hugged her and left. 

He did not contact his family again.

Starovoit’s passing is the latest in a string of suspicious deaths of Russian officials, oligarchs and insiders since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine began.

Many have died in reported suicides, falls from windows or under mysterious circumstances, fuelling speculation about growing instability behind the Kremlin’s walls.