Roman Starovoyt, Russia’s former Minister of Transport, was found dead in an apparent suicide just hours after President Vladimir Putin dismissed him from his post, authorities confirmed on Monday.
Starovoyt, 53, was discovered with a gunshot wound in his private car in the Odintsovo district near Moscow, according to a statement from Russia’s Investigative Committee. “The main version (considered) is suicide,” the statement read.
The shocking news came shortly after the Kremlin released a decree announcing Starovoyt’s removal from office, offering no further explanation beyond: “Roman Starovoyt was relieved of the post of Minister of Transport.”
Previously, Starovoyt served for a year as transport minister and had earlier been the governor of Russia’s Kursk region, a key area bordering Ukraine that has witnessed intense military activity during the ongoing conflict.
His death follows a wave of crackdowns on military and civilian officials amid the Ukraine war. Sources in Russian state media reported that Starovoyt shot himself in a public parking area near apartment buildings, with investigators and police seen on the scene.
While no official reason was given for his dismissal, reports suggest it may be linked to an expanding corruption probe. Starovoyt’s name had reportedly surfaced in investigations involving the embezzlement of funds intended for building fortifications in the border regions.
Earlier this year, Alexei Smirnov — who succeeded Starovoyt as Kursk governor — was arrested over allegations of misappropriating more than $12 million designated for border defences. Multiple outlets claim Smirnov testified against Starovoyt, possibly implicating him in the scheme.
Despite the mounting speculation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated earlier on Monday that the dismissal was “not linked to a loss of trust.”
Shortly after announcing Starovoyt’s removal, Putin met with Deputy Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin, naming him acting transport minister. The Russian Duma is scheduled to vote on Nikitin’s official appointment on Tuesday.
Starovoyt, a native of the Kursk region, was frequently seen in public alongside Putin during the height of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. His sudden death marks a dramatic turn in an already turbulent chapter of the country’s political and military leadership.