Roman Starovoit, Russia’s former Minister of Transport and ex-governor of the Kursk region, died by suicide on Monday, just hours after being dismissed by President Vladimir Putin. His body was discovered in his personal vehicle in the Odintsovo district near Moscow, with a gunshot wound and a firearm reportedly awarded to him in 2023.
Starovoit’s abrupt dismissal followed a series of crises engulfing Russia’s transportation sector, including widespread flight disruptions at major airports and a string of mysterious explosions targeting oil tankers. Over the weekend, nearly 2,000 flights were delayed and hundreds canceled due to suspected Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow’s Sheremetyevo and St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airports.
The tipping point came with the sixth tanker incident this year. On June 30, the Vilamoura, a Greek-managed vessel carrying one million barrels of oil, suffered an unexplained explosion off the coast of Libya. The blast flooded its engine room and raised suspicions of sabotage linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, which has been used to circumvent international sanctions.
Starovoit, appointed transport minister in May 2024, had previously served as Kursk’s governor from 2019 to 2024. His tenure in Kursk is now under scrutiny following the arrest of his successor, Alexei Smirnov, who faces charges of embezzling over 1 billion rubles intended for border fortifications. Smirnov allegedly testified about Starovoit’s involvement in the scheme.
The suicide adds to a growing list of high-profile deaths and arrests among Russian officials amid a sweeping anti-corruption purge. Investigations have targeted figures in Gazprom, the Defense Ministry, and other state institutions. Several officials have died under suspicious circumstances, including falls from buildings and gunshot wounds.
President Putin has appointed Andrey Nikitin as acting transport minister. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied that Starovoit’s dismissal was due to a “loss of trust,” but offered no alternative explanation.
