• Source:JND
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In a shocking development, Russia's former Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt died by suicide on Monday, July 7, 2025, just hours after being dismissed from his position by President Vladimir Putin. The tragic incident occurred in the Odintsovo district of Moscow, where Starovoyt was found in his car with a gunshot wound, according to a statement by Russia’s Investigative Committee.

Officials confirmed that investigators are treating suicide as the primary theory behind his death. “The circumstances of the incident are being established. The main version is suicide,” said Svetlana Petrenko, spokesperson for the committee. According to the state-run TASS news agency, Starovoyt had sent his security team a final message with instructions on where and when to pick him up. When they arrived at the location, they found his lifeless body and alerted the emergency services.

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Sudden Dismissal Precedes Death

Earlier that same day, President Putin had signed a decree dismissing Starovoyt from his post, without providing any official reason. The Kremlin later announced Andrei Nikitin, former governor of the Novgorod region, as the new acting transport minister.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that President Putin believes Nikitin's “professional qualities and experience” make him better suited for the role, calling the transport ministry “extremely important” to Russia’s national infrastructure goals.

Sources in the transport industry revealed to Russian media that plans to replace Starovoyt had been in motion since last month’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. While no official explanation was given for his removal, Reuters and other international outlets cited possible links to an ongoing corruption investigation in the Kursk region, which Starovoyt had governed prior to becoming transport minister.

Political Career And Legacy

Roman Starovoyt, aged 53, had served as transport minister since May 2024. Prior to that, he was the governor of the Kursk region, a territory that borders Ukraine, during a sensitive period amid ongoing military tensions. He was considered a loyal regional leader, but questions were reportedly raised about his governance during his tenure in Kursk.

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While the exact reasons behind Starovoyt’s sudden dismissal remain unknown, the timing of his death, mere hours after his removal, has led to widespread speculation and concern across Russian political circles.