Russia's Investigative Committee has reported that Roman Starovoit, the former Minister of Transport, has been found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. This incident comes just hours after President Vladimir Putin dismissed him from his position, which he held since May 2024. The reason for Starovoit's dismissal has not been disclosed, but Andrei Nikitin was promptly named as his successor.
The Investigative Committee is currently working to clarify the situation surrounding Starovoit's death. Prior to his appointment as transport minister, Starovoit had a long tenure as the governor of the Kursk region, a position he held until May 2024. His governorship coincided with a notable military conflict, as parts of the Kursk region were captured by Ukrainian forces during a significant offensive in August 2024. While Russian troops managed to reclaim some ground, Kyiv acknowledged holding onto a portion of territory within Russia’s borders as late as June 2025.
Starovoit’s successor, Aleksey Smirnov, faced legal troubles shortly after taking office in April, being arrested for allegedly embezzling funds designated for border fortifications. Reports from Russian sources, including Kommersant, indicate that Starovoit was set to be implicated in similar allegations.
As uncertainty looms about the timing of his death, Andrei Kartapolov, head of the State Duma Defense Committee, suggested that Starovoit had passed away "quite a while ago." Earlier that day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was questioned about whether Starovoit’s dismissal indicated a loss of trust from Putin, but he refrained from confirming any such implication, stating that the wording used in the official decree did not suggest it.
