Russia’s recently dismissed minister found dead in suspected suicide

Roman Starovoyt, Russia’s former transport minister, was found dead on Monday with a gunshot wound. His body was discovered in a car in the Odintsovo district, near Moscow, just hours after President Vladimir Putin officially dismissed him from his post. Russian investigators say they believe it may have been a suicide, but the case is still under investigation. Starovoyt, 53, became transport minister in May 2024. Before that, he was the governor of the Kursk region, an area near the Ukrainian border that had seen recent conflict. The Kremlin announced his dismissal on Monday but did not e

Roman Starovoyt, Russia’s former transport minister, was found dead on Monday with a gunshot wound. His body was discovered in a car in the Odintsovo district, near Moscow, just hours after President Vladimir Putin officially dismissed him from his post. Russian investigators say they believe it may have been a suicide, but the case is still under investigation. Starovoyt, 53, became transport minister in May 2024. Before that, he was the governor of the Kursk region, an area near the Ukrainian border that had seen recent conflict. The Kremlin announced his dismissal on Monday but did not explain why. A Kremlin spokesman said it was not because of a “loss of trust,” though some people suspect otherwise. His removal came shortly after drone attacks by Ukraine caused major delays at Russian airports. There were also reports of a corruption investigation into the possible misuse of funds meant for border defences in the Kursk region. Some experts think this may be related to his dismissal, but officials have not confirmed any connection. After Starovoyt was fired, President Putin met with his deputy, Andrei Nikitin, who was named acting transport minister. Nikitin said he plans to improve the transport system, especially through digital tools and better cross-border transport. Starovoyt’s sudden death adds to the growing challenges facing Russia’s transport sector, which is struggling with shortages and financial problems. Authorities are still looking into what happened to fully understand the situation.