Roman Starovoit, who served briefly as Russia’s Transport Minister, died by suicide on Monday, just hours after President Vladimir Putin removed him from office, according to Russian officials.
Putin formally dismissed Starovoit on Monday morning, with the presidential decree announcing his removal published on the Kremlin’s official website.
His deputy, Andrey Nikitin, has now stepped in as acting minister.
When questioned about the reasons behind Starovoit’s abrupt ousting, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters it was not due to a “lack of trust,” but did not elaborate further or provide an alternative explanation.
Later that day, Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed Starovoit was found dead inside a vehicle in Odintsovo, a suburb of Moscow.
The committee reported that he had suffered a gunshot wound, adding that while the circumstances remain under investigation, the “main theory is suicide.”
Before his ministerial appointment in May 2024, Starovoit served as governor of the Kursk region, located in southern Russia.
Although he had stepped down before Ukraine’s unexpected incursion into the region, he was reportedly held partly responsible for regional security lapses.
On Monday, multiple Russian media outlets, including the state-run Vesti program, the independent RBC business news site, and the daily newspaper Kommersant, reported that Starovoit was linked to an ongoing probe into the misappropriation of state funds intended for constructing defensive fortifications in Kursk.
According to Kommersant, he was also facing imminent arrest in connection with the case.
In April, Alexei Smirnov, Starovoit’s former deputy who later succeeded him as Kursk governor, was arrested as part of the same investigation, as confirmed by a Moscow court.
Starovoit’s dismissal coincided with widespread disruptions to Russia’s air travel system.
Over the weekend and into Monday, the Russian Federal Agency for Air Transport reported the cancellation of 485 flights, diversion of 88, and delays affecting over 1,900 flights.
The agency attributed the disruptions to “external interference,” though it did not offer specifics.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that it had intercepted more than 400 long-range Ukrainian strikes during that timeframe.
Ukraine’s military claimed responsibility for striking a chemical facility in Krasnozavodsk, located north of Moscow, early Monday.
According to Ukrainian officials, the plant was involved in the production of “pyrotechnic devices and ammunition, including thermobaric warheads for Shahed-type” drones.
