Former Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit Found Dead Hours After Dismissal
Roman Starovoit, former Russian Transport Minister, was found dead on Monday, just hours after President Vladimir Putin fired him, according to the Russian Investigative Committee.
Starovoit’s body was found in a car in Odintsovo, a Moscow suburb, with what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The incident happened shortly after the Kremlin announced his dismissal with a presidential decree. The decree didn’t give a reason for the firing.
Deputy Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin was named as Starovoit’s replacement, according to the BBC. When asked about the grounds for the dismissal, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said only: “Loss of trust if there is loss of trust.”
Starovoit had been Transport Minister for just one year. Before that he was governor of the Kursk region for nearly nine years until May 2024. His time as governor has been under scrutiny in recent months due to corruption allegations linked to regional defense funding.
According to local media reports, Starovoit was involved in an investigation into the embezzlement of state funds meant for building fortifications in the Kursk region. Analysts believe the corruption probe may have been the reason for his sudden dismissal.
The Kursk region was in the spotlight in August 2024 when Ukrainian forces briefly captured parts of it in a surprise attack. Although most of the land was retaken by Russian forces, Ukraine claimed in June 2025 to still control a small part of it.
Starovoit’s death comes as Russia’s transport infrastructure is under increasing pressure in the fourth year of the war in Ukraine.
An investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of his death. No foul play has been ruled out yet.
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Former Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit Found Dead Hours After Dismissal