Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit, who was dismissed by President Vladimir Putin on July 7, 2025, was found dead that same day at his home. The 53-year-old's body was discovered in his personal vehicle in the affluent district of Odintsovo near Moscow, alongside a firearm, reports Telegram channel 112.

According to Telegram channel Operational ZSU, the gun alleged to have been used by Starovoit was an honorary award from the Russian Ministry of Defense. The channel also claimed that Starovoit's demise followed testimony by former Kursk Region Governor Alexei Smirnov, who was recently detained for allegedly embezzling one billion rubles during construction of fortifications in the region. Smirnov had replaced Starovoit as governor.

Reuters pointed out that the decision to dismiss Starovoit came amid significant challenges facing the transport sector, exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

"The Russian aviation sector is struggling with a shortage of spare parts, while the state railways, the country’s largest employer, are grappling with rising costs due to increased interest rates," the agency noted. Adding to these pressures was airport chaos following a recent Ukrainian drone strike.

Starovoit had been at the helm of the Transport Ministry since May 2024. After his departure, he was succeeded by Andrey Nikitin, who previously served as Starovoit's deputy and was the former governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region. Speculation about Nikitin replacing Starovoit surfaced during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June.

"In a meeting with Putin, Nikitin discussed a plan to digitalize the Russian transport sector, aiming to optimize cross-border trade flows," insiders told Reuters.

Baza reported that Starovoit last communicated with his family two days ago. Sources noted that on July 5, he was quiet when attending his daughter's competition, stayed for less than an hour, hugged her, and left, after which he stopped communication with his family.

  Kremlin, Starovoit

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