Russia's ex-minister found dead hours after being fired, officials claim 'suicide'

Russia's former transport minister was found dead on Monday, hours after being dismissed by President Vladimir Putin, in what officials said was an apparent suicide. The dismissal came after a weekend of travel chaos as Russian airports grounded hundreds of flights owing to the threat of drone attacks from Ukraine.

Roman Starovoyt (53) or Starovoit as his last name is alternatively spelled, served as Russia's transport minister since May 2024 and was fired in a presidential decree earlier in the day that gave no reason for his dismissal.

Putin named Starovoyt's deputy Andrey Nikitin as acting transport minister. Nikitkin was the governor of Russia's Novgorod region until February. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on Starovoyt's dismissal.

Over the weekend on 5 and 6 July, hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed at Moscow's Sheremetyevo and St Petersburg's Pulkovo airports, and thousands of travellers faced long waits. Other airports in western and central Russia also faced disruptions owing to the threat of Ukrainian drone attacks.

The crisis deepened further when an explosion aboard the Eco Wizard tanker at Ust-Luga port in Leningrad Oblast led to an ammonia leak, compounding the mounting pressure on Russia’s already strained transport infrastructure, according to media reports.

Russia fires over 100 drones at Ukraine as Kremlin sacks transport chief

Russian news outlets report that Starovoyt, who had previously governed Kursk Oblast and was under sanctions from both Ukraine and Western nations owing to his involvement in the ongoing war, was found dead near Moscow. Early investigations indicate that the cause of death was suicide, potentially connected to an emerging criminal probe.

Media sources claim the former minister used a ceremonial firearm — gifted by the Russian interior ministry in 2023 — to take his own life.

Allegations have surfaced tying Starovoyt to a major corruption scandal, according to reports in international media. Former Kursk official Aleksei Smirnov, who once served as Starovoyt's deputy, is said to have testified against him. Smirnov is currently in custody, accused of embezzling over 1 billion rubles (roughly $12 million) during the construction of defence installations in the border region.

Authorities are continuing a broader investigation into the misappropriation of public funds in Kursk Oblast. Several members of Starovoyt's former team, including Smirnov — who had briefly acted as governor — remain under scrutiny.

According to the state-run RIA Novosti, Russia’s investigative committee confirmed that Starovoyt's body was found inside his personal vehicle, bearing a gunshot wound. Investigators from the main investigative directorate are currently examining the site, with suicide considered the leading hypothesis.

The exact time of death has yet to be determined. Andrei Kartapolov, who chairs the state Duma's defence committee, acknowledged the death to RTVI, stating only that it had occurred "quite some time ago" without providing additional details.

With agency inputs