Russian minister shoots self dead after sack by Putin

Russia’s former transport minister Roman Starovoyt killed himself Monday, July 7, 2025, hours after being officially dismissed by President Vladimir Putin.

The country’s Investigative Committee confirmed the incident via a statement on Monday.

Authorities said Starovoyt’s body was found in a Moscow suburb after the firing was announced, with “suicide” being considered the most likely cause of death.

Starovoyt, 53, served as Russia’s transport minister since May 2024. He was previously the governor of the Kursk region, where Russia had battled a Ukrainian incursion.

The Investigative Committee said: “Today, the body of former Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt was found in his private car with a gunshot wound in the Odintsovo district.

“The main version (considered) is suicide.”

Russian state media and news agencies said Starovoyt shot himself.

It was not clear exactly when Starovoyt died.

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Hours earlier, the Kremlin published a decree signed by Putin to relieve Starovoyt of his duties.

“Roman Starovoyt was relieved of the post of Minister of Transport,” it stated.

Starovoyt’s firing came after another weekend of travel chaos at Russian airports following Ukrainian drone attacks.

Russian state media also speculated the firing was linked to corruption in the Kursk region and a possible criminal case on the embezzlement of funds meant for fortifications in the border region.

Commenting on the firing, before Starovoyt’s death was announced, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told AFP it was “not linked to a loss of trust”.

Shortly after the Kremlin announced the dismissal, Putin met with one of Starovoyt’s deputies, Andrei Nikitin, to appoint him as acting transport minister.

The Star