Russian ex-transport minister found dead hours after being sacked

Just hours after being sacked by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Jul. 7, Russia's former Transport Minister Roman Starovoit, 53, was found dead from a gunshot wound in his car, The Guardian reported.

His death was an apparent suicide, Russia's investigators said.

Fired at himself

Starovoit's body was reportedly found in his personal car, a Tesla, that was parked in a Moscow neighbourhood, according to The Moscow Times.

He was also found with a Makarov pistol, which had been awarded to him in 2003 for his service as governor in Russia's Kursk region.

Preliminary investigations by Russia's Investigative Committee pointed to death by suicide.

However, a number of Russian media have suggested that Starovoit may have been dead from as early as Jul. 4, even before his dismissal was announced.

A former Russian deputy defence minister also told reporters that Starovoit killed himself "quite a while ago", AP News quoted.

He was allegedly last seen a day before he was found dead, in an official video at the transport ministry.

On the same day as Starovoit's death, Andrei Korneichuk, a railway official in the ministry of transport, reportedly collapsed and died during a business meeting.

Russian news reports said he had died of a heart attack.

Fired by Putin

Starovoit was removed from his position as transport minister on the morning of Jul. 7 through a signed order by Putin, as announced by the Kremlin.

He had only served one year of his term.

While no reason was given for Starovoit's dismissal, Russian media have speculated that it may be linked to an investigation on embezzled state funds intended for building reinforcements in Russia's Kursk region where Starovoit was previously governor, AP News said.

The embezzlement was said to be among the reasons that Russia's defensive line fell to a surprise Ukrainian attack in the region in August 2024 as part of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The attack reportedly caused hundreds of Russians to be taken prisoner by Ukrainian troops, and was a humiliating blow to the Kremlin.

According to The Guardian, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that leading up to his dismissal, Starovoit had lost political backing by other Kursk officials also being investigated, who testified against him.

This is said to have led to his arrest.

Starovoit's successor as governor in Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, similarly left his role in December 2024, and was arrested in April 2025.

Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has denied that Starovoit was sacked due to a "lack of trust".

He did not elaborate on the real reasons, but praised the new Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin just shortly before Starovoit’s death announcement, AP News reported.

Top images via Reuters & Adrien Wodey/Unsplash