Sacked Russian Transport Minister Found Dead With Gunshot Wound Hours After Putin Fired Him

<p>Russia&rsquo;s former Transport Minister, Roman Starovoit, who was dismissed by President Vladimir Putin on Monday, was discovered dead in his car near Moscow with a gunshot wound, according to Russia&rsquo;s Investigative Committee. Investigators indicated that suicide is the primary line of inquiry.</p>
<p>Earlier in the day, the Kremlin released a presidential decree announcing Starovoit&rsquo;s dismissal, without providing any explanation. Political analysts swiftly speculated that his removal might be linked to ongoing corruption investigations in the Kursk region, which he previously governed, news agency Reuters reported.</p>
<p>Quoting a transport industry source who requested anonymity, Reuters reported that Starovoit&rsquo;s role had faced scrutiny for months due to allegations tied to a corruption scandal involving funds designated for fortifying the Russian-Ukrainian border in Kursk. This scandal reportedly centred on embezzlement of money intended for defence infrastructure, which may have left the region exposed during Ukrainian advances.</p>
<p>The timeline surrounding Starovoit&rsquo;s death remained unclear, with various Russian media citing conflicting reports. The Investigative Committee confirmed it was working to clarify the circumstances, and law enforcement sources told Russian outlets that Starovoit&rsquo;s own pistol was found next to his body inside the car.</p>
<p>When asked whether Starovoit&rsquo;s dismissal implied that President Putin had lost confidence in him, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded: &ldquo;A loss of trust is mentioned if there is a loss of trust.&rdquo; He added, &ldquo;There is no such wording in the (Kremlin) decree,&rdquo; Reuters quoted.</p>
<p>Before his appointment as transport minister in May 2024, Starovoit led Kursk as its governor for nearly five years. Notably, during his tenure as minister, Ukrainian forces staged a significant incursion into the Kursk region &mdash; the largest breach of Russian territory by foreign troops since World War Two &mdash; which resulted in extensive destruction and only ended earlier this year after heavy fighting.</p>
<p>Starovoit&rsquo;s successor as Kursk governor, Alexei Smirnov, was charged in April with embezzling defence funds, intensifying allegations that resources allocated for border protection were misappropriated.</p>
<h3><strong>Russia&rsquo;s New Transport Minister Amid Sector Struggles</strong></h3>
<p>The Kremlin announced that Andrei Nikitin, former governor of Russia&rsquo;s Novgorod region, has been appointed acting transport minister. Photographs released by the Kremlin showed Nikitin shaking hands with Putin after his appointment. Commenting on the choice, Peskov stated, &ldquo;At present, in the president&rsquo;s opinion, Andrei Nikitin&rsquo;s professional qualities and experience will best contribute to ensuring that this agency, which the president described as extremely important, fulfils its tasks and functions.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Two transport industry insiders told Reuters that plans for Nikitin to replace Starovoit had been underway since before the recent International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg.</p>
<p>At a meeting with Putin, Nikitin discussed efforts to modernise Russia&rsquo;s transport systems through digitisation, aiming to tackle cargo bottlenecks and improve the flow of goods across borders, Reuters’ report stated.</p>
<p>Russia&rsquo;s transport sector continues to face serious challenges due to the prolonged war in Ukraine, including shortages of aircraft spare parts and rising costs for Russian Railways driven by elevated interest rates needed to control inflation, as per the report.</p>