Russia's Ex-Transport Minister Found Dead Hours After Putin Sacks Him: Report

Last Updated:July 07, 2025, 19:10 IST

Roman Starovoit reportedly shot himself on Monday, shortly after being dismissed from his post by Russian President Vladimir Putin

Former Russian Minister of Transport Roman Starovoit. (Photo by Maxim Shemetov / POOL / AFP)

Former Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit reportedly shot himself on Monday, shortly after being dismissed from his post by President Vladimir Putin, according to a source cited by the Russian news outlet Izvestiya.

The sudden and dramatic development followed an official announcement earlier in the day that Starovoit had been removed from his position. The Kremlin did not provide a reason for his dismissal.

Starovoit had served as transport minister for just over a year, having been appointed in May 2024. Before that, he spent nearly five years as governor of the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine. His time as minister came during a period of major challenges for Russia’s transport sector, heavily strained by the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, Reuters reported.

President Putin swiftly named Andrei Nikitin, the former governor of the Novgorod region, as acting transport minister. The Kremlin published photos of Nikitin shaking hands with Putin shortly after the announcement.

When asked about the quick replacement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin believed Nikitin’s experience and skills made him the right person to lead the ministry at this time. He described the transport ministry as “extremely important" for the country’s current needs.

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News world Russia's Ex-Transport Minister Found Dead Hours After Putin Sacks Him: Report