'Corruption, money embezzlement': Why did Putin fire Roman Starovoit? Ex-Russian minister who ‘died by suicide’

Russia’s former transport minister, Roman Starovoit, was found dead in his car on Monday (July 07), shortly after being dismissed by President Vladimir Putin. He had a gunshot wound, and preliminary findings suggest he died by suicide, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee. “Today, in the Odintsovo district [of Moscow]… Roman Vladimirovich Starovoit was found in his car with a gunshot wound,” a spokesperson told state-run TASS news agency. Officials are still examining the scene, but early indications point to suicide.

Who was Roman Starovoit?

Roman Starovoit had only been in his role as transport minister since May 2024, having taken office after Putin began a new six-year term as president. Before that, he served as the governor of Russia’s Kursk region for nearly five years. His leadership in Kursk came under heavy criticism last year when Ukrainian forces made a surprise incursion into the region. It took months of intense fighting before Russian troops regained control, leaving widespread destruction behind.

Putin’s decree gave no reason for sacking

Earlier on Monday, the Kremlin released a decree announcing Starovoit’s removal from the transport ministry but did not provide any reasons for the dismissal. He will be replaced by Andrei Nikitin, the current deputy transport minister, who will now take over as acting minister.

When asked whether Putin’s decision showed a loss of trust in Starovoit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied, “Loss of trust is mentioned if there is a loss of trust. There is no such wording in the [Kremlin] decree.”

Was the dismissal linked to corruption?

Some political analysts believe the dismissal may be linked to a corruption probe in the Kursk region, where Starovoit was previously governor. Russian newspaper reports, cited by the Moscow Times, claimed the decision to remove him had been made “several months ago”.

Several high-ranking officials, including Starovoit’s successor Alexei Smirnov, have already been arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of public funds meant for building fortifications along the Ukrainian border.

Smirnov and his deputy are accused of embezzling 1 billion rubles (around $12.7 million), with investigators claiming the funds were diverted from defence construction efforts in Kursk. Political analyst Yevgeny Minchenko, also cited by the Moscow Times, called Starovoit’s dismissal “predictable”, saying, “The Kursk region situation has caught up with him.”