Roman Starovoit, Russia’s former transport minister and one-time governor of the conflict-hit Kursk region, was found dead in his car on Monday with a gunshot wound, just hours after his dismissal by President Vladimir Putin. Preliminary investigations by Russian officials indicate suicide as the cause of death.
The Kremlin’s decree announcing Starovoit’s removal gave no official reason, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified there was no mention of a “loss of trust” in the decree — a phrase often used to indicate falling out of favour in Russian political circles. Starovoit had been appointed to the federal transport ministry in May 2024, shortly after Putin secured another presidential term.
Starovoit previously served as governor of the border region of Kursk, which saw heavy fighting following a surprise Ukrainian incursion in August last year. Political analysts suggest his sacking may be linked to an ongoing corruption investigation into Kursk’s wartime fortification funds. Reports indicate that as scrutiny mounted over the alleged misuse of public money in the region, multiple officials including his successor, Alexei Smirnov, were arrested on embezzlement charges involving more than 1 billion rubles (approximately $12.7 million).
Starovoit’s sudden death has shocked Russian political circles. His replacement, Deputy Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin, has been appointed as the acting minister. Sources cited by the Moscow Times claim the decision to remove Starovoit had been made months earlier, but the full fallout — including potential legal implications — remains to be seen.
