Russia’s Transportation Minister found dead hours after Putin fired him

Russian’s Transport Minister was recovered dead, hours aft the Kremlin announced helium had been dismissed by President Vladimir Putin. Investigators said connected Monday (July 7, 2025) that helium seemingly killed himself.

The Kremlin did not springiness a crushed for the firing of Roman Starovoit, who served arsenic Transport Minister since May 2024, and it was unclear erstwhile precisely helium died and whether it was related to an alleged embezzlement case, arsenic immoderate Russian media suggested.

Russia’s Investigative Committee, the apical transgression probe agency, said the assemblage of Starovoit, 53, was recovered with a gunshot coiled successful his car parked successful Odintsovo, a neighbourhood conscionable westbound of the superior wherever members of Russia’s elite live. A weapon antecedently presented to him arsenic an authoritative acquisition was recovered adjacent to his body.

Also Read | Vladimir Putin fires Russia’s Transport Minister Starovoit

A transgression probe was launched into the death, and investigators saw decease by termination arsenic the astir apt cause, according to committee’s spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko, who did not accidental erstwhile Starovoit died.

Russian media person reported that Starovoit’s dismissal could person been linked to an probe into the embezzlement of authorities funds allocated for gathering fortifications successful the Kursk region, wherever helium served arsenic politician earlier being appointed Transportation Minister.

The alleged embezzlement has been cited arsenic 1 of the reasons for deficiencies successful Russia’s antiaircraft lines that failed to stem a astonishment Ukrainian incursion successful the portion launched successful August 2024. In the stunning attack, Ukraine’s battle-hardened mechanized units rapidly overwhelmed lightly equipped Russian borderline guards and inexperienced service conscripts. Hundreds were taken prisoner.

The incursion was a humiliating stroke to the Kremlin — the archetypal clip the country’s territory was occupied by an invader since World War II.

The Russian subject had announced its troops had afloat reclaimed the borderline territory successful April — astir 9 months aft losing chunks of the region.

Starovoit’s successor arsenic Kursk governor, Alexei Smirnov, stepped down successful December and was arrested connected embezzlement charges successful April. Some Russian media person alleged that Starovoit besides could person faced charges arsenic portion of the investigation.

His dismissal besides followed a play of question chaos arsenic Russian airports were forced to crushed hundreds of flights owed to Ukrainian drone attacks. Most commentators said, however, that the aerial postulation disruptions person go customary amid predominant Ukrainian drone raids and were improbable to person triggered his dismissal.

An authoritative bid releasing Starovoit from his station was published connected the Kremlin’s website Monday (July 6, 2025) greeting without giving a crushed for his dismissal.

Shortly earlier the quality of Starovoit’s decease broke, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to remark connected the reasons down his dismissal.

Mr. Peskov praised Starovoit’s replacement, Andrei Nikitin, who had been appointed lawman Transport Minister 5 months ago.

(Those successful distress oregon having suicidal thoughts are encouraged to question assistance and counselling by calling the helpline numbers here)