Former Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit died by suicide on Monday, just hours after President Vladimir Putin dismissed him from his post. According to Russian news agencies, Starovoit fatally shot himself in a Moscow suburb following the announcement of his dismissal. Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that his body was found with a gunshot wound inside his personal vehicle.
The presidential decree relieving the 53-year-old of his duties was published on Russia’s official legal information portal, though it did not specify the reason for his removal. Starovoit had been appointed transport minister just over a year ago, in May 2024, after serving nearly five years as governor of the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.
In an official statement, the Investigative Committee said:
“Today, the body of former Transport Minister Roman Starovoit was discovered with a gunshot wound inside his private car in the Odintsovo district. The leading theory being considered is suicide.”
However, the exact time of his death remains unclear.
Following his dismissal, the Kremlin appointed former Novgorod Governor Andrei Nikitin as acting transport minister. When asked about the sudden reshuffle, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated:
“The President believes that Andrei Nikitin’s professional qualifications and experience make him the most suitable person to effectively manage this crucial ministry.”
Sources from the transport sector told Reuters that plans to replace Starovoit with Nikitin were in motion even before the recent St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Starovoit’s dismissal came after several major disruptions in Russia’s transportation sector. On July 5–6, the threat of Ukrainian drone attacks led to the suspension of nearly 300 flights at major Russian airports. The following day, an explosion on a tanker at the Ust-Luga port in the Leningrad region caused an ammonia gas leak, prompting a state of emergency.
Another Reuters source indicated that Starovoit’s removal was not solely due to transport issues. Allegations of corruption during his tenure as governor of the Kursk region may have also contributed. Shortly after he stepped down as governor, Ukrainian forces launched a rare cross-border incursion into Kursk—the largest foreign breach of Russian territory since World War II. Although they were later repelled earlier this year, the incident raised concerns.
Several officials from the Kursk region were arrested on charges of abuse of power, and in April, Starovoit’s successor, Governor Alexei Smirnov, faced accusations of embezzling funds allocated to the defense sector.