In a shocking turn of events, Roman Starovoyt, the former transport minister of Russia, passed away just hours after being officially dismissed by President Vladimir Putin, according to statements from the country’s investigative committee.
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Authorities discovered Mr. Starovoyt’s body in a Moscow suburb, where preliminary investigations suggest a gunshot wound may have been the cause of death. The committee is treating this incident as a likely suicide.
At 53 years old, Mr. Starovoyt had been serving as Russia’s transport minister since May of the previous year. Before that, he held the position of governor in the Kursk region, a critically impacted area during Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
In their official statement, the investigative committee remarked, “Today, the body of former transport minister Roman Starovoyt was found in his private car with a gunshot wound in the Odintsovo district.”
According to Russian state media, Mr. Starovoyt is reported to have taken his own life; however, the precise timing of his death remains uncertain.
Not long before this tragic incident, the Kremlin issued a decree signed by President Putin, officially relieving Mr. Starovoyt of his ministerial duties with a brief announcement: “Roman Starovoyt was relieved of the post of minister of transport.”
This dismissal occurred against the backdrop of a weekend marred by significant travel disruptions at Russian airports, which were reportedly linked to drone attacks from Ukraine. Furthermore, speculation has arisen within Russian media regarding potential corruption in the Kursk region, specifically focusing on possible embezzlement cases involving funds allocated for border fortifications.
Before news of Mr. Starovoyt’s death emerged, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov addressed the firing, stating that it was “not linked to a loss of trust.” Shortly after announcing the dismissal, President Putin met with Andrei Nikitin, one of Mr. Starovoyt’s deputies, to appoint him as the acting transport minister.
This unexpected series of events raises unanswered questions, leaving the nation in a state of mourning and reflection.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
