Ex-Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt Dies by Suicide After Putin’s Dismissal

Russia’s former Minister of Transport, was found dead by suicide on Monday, just hours after he was officially dismissed by President Vladimir Putin. Russian authorities reported that Starovoyt’s body was discovered in his personal vehicle in a suburb of Moscow, with an apparent gunshot wound.

The Russian Investigative Committee released a brief statement confirming the tragic incident: “Today, the body of the former Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, Roman Starovoyt, was found with a gunshot wound in his personal car.” While no foul play has been officially suspected, the nature and timing of the incident have sparked intense speculation.

Starovoyt’s sudden death followed the announcement of his dismissal through a presidential decree, which was reported by The Moscow Times. However, the decree offered no explanation for the decision to remove him from office. Starovoyt had been serving as Minister of Transport for just over a year before the abrupt termination.

Following his dismissal, Deputy Transportation Minister Andrei Nikitin has been appointed as the acting Minister of Transport. The Kremlin has not issued any further comments regarding the transition or the circumstances surrounding Starovoyt’s death.

Starovoyt was considered a loyal technocrat within the Russian government and had previously served in multiple high-ranking positions, including the head of the Federal Road Agency. His brief tenure as transport minister was marked by a push to modernize Russia’s logistics and infrastructure sectors amid ongoing international sanctions and supply chain disruptions.

His sudden demise adds to a string of mysterious deaths among prominent Russian officials and executives over the past two years—many of which have occurred under suspicious or unexplained circumstances.

As of now, there are no confirmed reports linking Starovoyt’s suicide to internal political pressures, corruption investigations, or personal crises. However, given the opaque nature of Russian state affairs, analysts are closely watching for any emerging details.