ISTANBUL

Russia’s lower house of parliament on Tuesday approved the nomination of Andrey Nikitin as the country’s new transport minister.

A statement by the State Duma said a vote unanimously approved Nikitin’s candidacy, with 408 lawmakers supporting his nomination.

Nikitin was appointed by President Vladimir Putin as acting transport minister on Monday following the dismissal of his predecessor, Roman Starovoyt, who was found dead hours later in his personal car in the city of Odintsovo.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin later submitted Nikitin’s candidacy for the post to the State Duma.

Nikitin had been serving as the deputy transport minister since February, and was previously the governor of Russia’s northwestern Novgorod region.