Russia’s recently dismissed Transport Minister Roman Starovoit was found dead with a gunshot wound near his car outside Moscow on Monday, just hours after President Vladimir Putin issued a decree removing him from office. Investigators say the 53-year-old likely took his own life.
Starovoit’s body was discovered in bushes near a Tesla parked close to his home in the Moscow region, according to multiple Russian media reports citing law enforcement sources. A pistol registered to him was recovered at the scene. The Investigative Committee confirmed it is probing the circumstances surrounding his death but has not ruled definitively on the cause.
Starovoit had served less than a year as transport minister, appointed in May 2024 after nearly five years as governor of the border Kursk region. His departure from the cabinet came without official explanation, though speculation quickly linked it to a corruption probe tied to his time in Kursk.
In 2022, 19.4 billion roubles (approx. $246 million) were allocated to fortify the region’s border with Ukraine. Investigators are now examining whether those funds were misused. His successor as governor, Alexei Smirnov, was arrested in April for allegedly embezzling defence funds. Russian outlets reported Smirnov implicated Starovoit in the scheme, though Reuters could not independently verify the claim. Smirnov has pleaded not guilty.
Starovoit’s tenure as governor also saw part of Kursk fall to Ukrainian forces last year in what was described as the largest foreign incursion into Russia since World War II. The area was only recaptured in early 2025 after extensive fighting and destruction.
His death and dismissal come at a time of mounting pressure on Russia’s transport infrastructure. The country’s aviation industry is reeling from sanctions and parts shortages, railways are strained by high inflation-driven interest rates, and Ukrainian drone attacks routinely disrupt air traffic.
President Putin has swiftly appointed Andrei Nikitin, former governor of Novgorod region, as acting transport minister. The Kremlin released images of Putin meeting Nikitin, who pledged to modernize the sector and improve logistics flow through digitalization. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin believed Nikitin had the necessary experience and expertise.
The transport ministry has so far declined to comment on Starovoit’s death or the allegations surrounding him. He is survived by two daughters.
Written By Rodney Mbua
