Dismissal of Transport Minister by Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Transport Minister Roman Starovoit on July 7, 2025, just over a year after his appointment. The official reason for Starovoit's removal was not specified in the presidential decree.
Several potential reasons and contexts for his dismissal have emerged. One of them is the expanding corruption scandal linked to Starovoit's previous governorship of the western Russian region of Kursk. The investigation involves allegations of misappropriation of funds and substandard construction work on defense projects, such as the "dragon’s teeth" concrete barriers along the border with Ukraine. Key regional officials linked to the case have already been detained or admitted guilt, suggesting possible connections to Starovoit's tenure in Kursk.
Another possible reason for Starovoit's dismissal could be the recent transport sector failures and security challenges affecting Russia. Just prior to his dismissal, Russia experienced significant transportation disruptions, including nearly 300 flight cancellations and delays at major airports due to Ukrainian drone threats. These events reportedly caused chaos in the transport sector, for which Starovoit, as minister, might have been held responsible or blamed in the Kremlin.
Following his dismissal, Starovoit was found dead in an apparent suicide shortly after, raising intense speculation. However, no official connection between his death and the reasons for dismissal has been confirmed. The Kremlin spokesman denied that Starovoit had fallen out of favour with Putin.
Starovoit's successor as governor of Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, was arrested on suspicion of fraud. Smirnov became governor of Kursk in May 2024, and Ukrainian troops occupied dozens of settlements in the region during his governorship in August last year. The disruptions in air traffic in parts of Russia, including Moscow airport, are not connected to any alleged fraudulent activities by Smirnov.
Andrei Nikitin, who was previously Starovoit's deputy, has been appointed acting transport minister. The chaos at Russian airports, caused by frequent Ukrainian drone attacks, has resulted in thousands of passengers being stranded, and hundreds of flights being cancelled during the holidays. Russian newspaper "Kommersant" reported high financial losses in the aviation industry due to these disruptions.
The construction of fortifications on the border with Ukraine, for which Starovoit was previously criticised, was already underway in 2022, shortly after the start of Putin's invasion of Ukraine. As governor, Starovoit had reported the completion of these facilities upwards.
This case underscores the high political stakes around infrastructure management and regional governance in Russia, as well as the challenges posed by ongoing security threats from neighbouring countries.
The dismissal of Transport Minister Roman Starovoit may be linked to the expanding corruption scandal associated with his previous governorship of Kursk, as well as the recent transport sector failures and security challenges that Russia has faced.
His successor as governor of Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, was arrested on suspicion of fraud, raising questions about the integrity of regional governance in Russia.
