Former Russian transport minister Roman Starovoit has been found dead from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, just hours after it was announced he had been dismissed from his post by President Vladimir Putin.
Starovoit, who had only been appointed transport minister in May of last year after serving as governor of the Kursk region for five years, was found dead in his car in Odintsovo, a suburb west of Moscow. The country’s Investigative Committee confirmed that an investigation is ongoing, but stated that “the main version is suicide.”
According to Sky News, news of his death came just hours after the Kremlin quietly removed him from office on Monday. No official explanation was provided for his dismissal, and his replacement — Andrei Nikitin, deputy transport minister from the Novgorod region — was announced shortly thereafter.
The timing of the incident has raised questions in Russia and abroad.
A Sudden Fall and a Murky Aftermath
Though officials have not confirmed when exactly Starovoit died, Andrei Kartapolov, head of the State Duma Defense Committee, suggested to RTVI that the death “occurred quite a while ago,” sparking further confusion.
Notably, Starovoit’s political downfall coincides with turbulence in the region he once governed. The Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, was partially overrun by Ukrainian forces in August 2024 — not long after Starovoit stepped down as governor. While Russian forces have since reclaimed most of the territory, small pockets of Ukrainian control reportedly remain.
Further controversy surrounds Starovoit’s name. According to Russian outlet Kommersant, he was allegedly under investigation and may have been poised to be implicated in a corruption scandal involving embezzled funds that had been allocated for fortifications along the border with Ukraine.
His successor as governor, Aleksey Smirnov, was himself arrested earlier this year on charges of misappropriating these same defense funds.
Kremlin Responds
When asked directly about Starovoit’s dismissal, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov avoided confirming whether it was connected to any loss of trust. He emphasized instead that President Putin believed Andrei Nikitin had the right qualifications to lead the ministry.
“At present, in the president’s opinion, Andrei Nikitin’s professional qualities and experience will best contribute to ensuring that this agency — which the president described as extremely important — fulfils its tasks and functions,” said Peskov.
Pressed further on whether Starovoit had fallen out of favor due to military setbacks in Kursk or possible legal trouble, Peskov simply noted that the term “loss of trust” had not been used in the Kremlin decree announcing the firing.
Starovoit’s sudden death adds to the growing list of high-profile Russian figures who have died under mysterious or abrupt circumstances in recent years, especially following professional or political turmoil. As speculation continues, Russian authorities maintain their investigation — but for now, many questions remain unanswered.