The lifeless body of Roman Starovoit, the Russian Minister of Transport until the morning of this Monday, was found inside his car in the town of Odintsovo, on the outskirts of Moscow.
He had a bullet wound in his chest, and a Makarov pistol lay beside him. The discovery came just hours after President Vladimir Putin signed his dismissal through an official decree.
The unexpected death has sparked a wave of speculation about the true causes of his/her death.
A sudden and violent ending
According to the Russian Investigative Committee, the main hypothesis is that Starovoit may have committed suicide.
However, the context surrounding his death is far from providing certainties.
Various versions are circulating in the local media: the Mash channel claims that the politician left written instructions to his bodyguards regarding the location of his body, while Kommersant indicates that he had been interrogated the night before.
Forbes Russia even claims that the death occurred on Sunday, but it was concealed for several hours by the security services.
“The death of Starovoit occurred quite some time ago,” stated Andréi Kartapólov, president of the State Duma's Defense Committee, further sowing doubts about the official timeline.
A rising career and a sudden downfall
Starovoit had assumed the Ministry of Transport in May 2024, after five years as governor of Kursk, a key region due to its proximity to Ukraine.
His dismissal, signed by Putin this Monday, was as surprising as it was succinct.
The decree, published by the legal portal of the government, was limited to stating: “It is resolved to dismiss Roman Vladimirovich Starovoit from the position of Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation.”
The lack of official explanations regarding his removal quickly fueled various hypotheses about a downfall precipitated by internal pressures or compromising investigations.
The shadow of corruption and the context of the war
Some political circles in Moscow are claiming that Starovoit was going to be charged with corruption in the coming days.
The suspicion dates back to his time as governor of Kursk, where his successor, Alexéi Smírnov, was recently arrested for alleged fraud of over 10 million euros related to defensive works at the border with Ukraine.
Several of the detainees, according to the Russian press, allegedly implicated Starovoit in their statements.
This case adds to a series of recent purges in the Russian administration, particularly within the military environment.
In April 2024, then-Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was dismissed, and his deputy, Timur Ivanov, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for accepting bribes.
Starovoit could have been the next piece sacrificed in this anti-corruption offensive.
Aerial crisis and Ukrainian drones
Another theory suggests a possible political responsibility of Starovoit in the air chaos that paralyzed much of Russia last weekend.
More than 1,900 flights experienced delays or cancellations due to a wave of Ukrainian drones that interfered with civilian airspace, in a campaign that has already disrupted the operations of Russian airports on other occasions.
Only that weekend, airlines would have lost more than 200,000 euros, according to Kommersant.
Some Russian media outlets suggest that Starovoit’s dismissal might be linked to this crisis, particularly due to its impact on national security and public perception of state effectiveness.
Express relief and continuity of the state
Just hours after the confirmation of the death, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin proposed to the State Duma the appointment of a new head.
It concerns Andréi Nikitin, former Deputy Minister of Transport and former Governor of Novgorod.
Putin praised his technical profile and institutional commitment: “I intend to present his candidacy to the Duma, and if the deputies support it, I will personally sign the decree that officially appoints him to head this very important Ministry.”
Nikitin expressed his gratitude for the appointment and stated: "We are the largest country in the world, and we need the most efficient transportation system. Our economy and our people need it."
A death that reignites theories
The sudden death of Starovoit occurs in an atmosphere already tensioned by other mysterious deaths.
Just three days earlier, the vice president of the state oil company Transneft, Andréi Badalov, died after falling from the 17th floor in Moscow.
Although no connections have been established between the two cases, their proximity in time revives theories about a "wave of deaths" within the Russian elite since the start of the war in Ukraine.
So far this year, multiple executives and officials have died under strange circumstances, ranging from falls and suicides to poisonings and traffic accidents.
None of these cases have been fully resolved.
In the words of a Russian political analyst quoted by the international press: “Politics here is not measured in votes, but in loyalties, silences, and sacrifices. Sometimes, it is also measured in corpses.”
Frequently asked questions about the death of the former Russian transport minister and the political context in Russia
What is known about the death of Roman Starovoit?
The body of Roman Starovoit, former Minister of Transport of Russia, was found dead inside his car in Odintsovo, on the outskirts of Moscow, with a gunshot wound to the chest and a Makarov pistol beside him. The primary hypothesis of the Russian Investigative Committee is that he may have committed suicide, but the context of his death is uncertain and has generated various speculations.
Why was Roman Starovoit dismissed from his position as minister?
The dismissal of Roman Starovoit was surprising, and no official explanations were provided. This has fueled speculation about possible internal pressures or compromising investigations, particularly related to suspicions of corruption during his tenure as governor of Kursk.
Is Starovoit’s death related to the air chaos in Russia?
Some theories suggest that the dismissal of Starovoit may be linked to his possible responsibility for the air chaos that affected Russia, where more than 1,900 flights experienced delays or cancellations due to a wave of Ukrainian drones. This crisis affected national security and public perception of state effectiveness.
How does this death affect the political environment of the Kremlin?
The death of Starovoit occurs in a context of purges within the Russian administration, especially in the military sphere, raising concerns and speculation about the stability and power dynamics in the Kremlin. The sudden death of Starovoit rekindles theories about a wave of deaths within the Russian elite, increasing political uncertainty.
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