Former Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit dies by suicide just hours after President Putin fired him from the job, officials say https://t.co/Bld4ltAmAK
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) July 7, 2025
Several Telegram channels with ties to security services reported Starovoyt shot himself in his Tesla Model X west of Moscow.
Russia’s Investigative Committee announced Monday that Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt, 53, died in a suspected suicide on the same day President Vladimir Putin dismissed him from office.
Several Telegram channels with ties to security services reported Starovoyt shot himself in his Tesla Model X west of Moscow. His death follows a corruption probe into embezzlement during his tenure as governor of the Ukraine-bordering Kursk region.
“A criminal case has been opened over alleged embezzlement linked to the construction of defensive fortifications,” officials said, including the so-called “dragon’s teeth” barriers built while parts of Kursk were under partial Ukrainian control until March 2025.
Reports suggest Starovoyt was under investigation for possible involvement. His successor and deputy have been arrested, accused of embezzling at least Rbs1bn ($12mn) in state funds.
Initial accounts said Starovoyt’s death came hours after Putin’s decree firing him, though it was unclear if he died before or after it was signed.