Tragic Downfall: The Life and Death of Roman Starovoit, Russias Former Transportation Minister

On Monday, Roman Starovoit, the former Minister of Transportation, was found deceased in what appears to be a suicide, just hours after reports emerged that President Vladimir Putin had dismissed him.

Media coverage indicates that Starovoit may have taken his own life as early as Friday. Meanwhile, State Duma lawmaker Andrei Kartapolov informed reporters that the former minister had passed away “quite some time ago.”

Starovoit, 53, who was removed from his position as transportation minister merely a year after his appointment, had previously served as the governor of the Kursk region from 2018 until May 2024.

But who exactly was Roman Starovoit, and how did he arrive at this moment?

Born on January 20, 1972, in Kursk, Roman Vladimirovich Starovoit completed his education at the Baltic State Technical University in St. Petersburg in 1995 and later earned a degree in state and municipal administration from the North-West Academy of Public Administration in 2008.

He started his career as the executive director of the Regional Investment Fund. From 1995 to 2001, he led the asset management firm Promyshleny, and from 2001 to 2005, he was in charge of a construction company called Stroyinvest.

Starovoit entered public service in 2005, taking over as the head of the investor relations department and later becoming the first deputy chairman of the St. Petersburg government’s Investments and Strategic Projects Committee. In 2010, he was appointed deputy director of the Russian government’s department for industry and infrastructure, a role he held until 2012.

In 2012, he transitioned to the role of head of the state road agency, Rosavtodor, before being appointed deputy transportation minister in 2018.

His term as deputy minister was short-lived, as he became the governor of the Kursk region in October 2018, a position he was elected to in 2019. He officially joined the ruling United Russia party the following year.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin nominated him for the role of Transportation Minister in May 2024, a position he held until his death.

Forbes Russia referenced the Center for Political Conjuncture (CPC), which described Starovoit as an “uncompromising controller.” Starovoit himself called his involvement in politics minimal, identifying as a «layman.»

“I’ve never engaged in politics in my life, nor have I participated in any elections,” he remarked previously, stressing his focus as a technocrat dedicated to “the implementation of specific projects.”

Starovoit’s time as governor came under fire following Ukraine’s unexpected incursion into the border region last summer.

Since that time, law enforcement has carried out several high-profile arrests, including that of his successor Alexei Smirnov, over alleged public fund misappropriation.

Although Starovoit had not been directly implicated in ongoing investigations, the business daily Kommersant reported on Monday that unnamed sources claimed those involved in the embezzlement inquiry, including Smirnov, had recently made statements against him.

Additionally, Kommersant indicated that Starovoit was likely to face an investigation for his suspected involvement in the embezzlement of at least 1 billion rubles ($12.8 million) intended for building defensive structures along the Ukraine border.

Political analysts quickly characterized the potential ramifications of Starovoit’s death on the Russian elite.

Independent journalist Farida Rustamova noted that his passing should be viewed as damaging to the perception of Putin’s government.

“The Kremlin often treats officials as replaceable: they work today, and tomorrow we’ll detain them and find a substitute,” she posted on Telegram. “By ending his life, Starovoit defied these norms. He rejected Putin’s orders and, rather than submitting to imprisonment, chose to take his own life.”

“It is intriguing that the current phase of political evolution within the regime seems to harm the elite more than the broader populace—typically, it is the opposite,” political analyst Ekaterina Schulmann observed.

“At what point will these unfortunate individuals realize that the solution is not to seek a more benign ruler, but to establish universal legal standards?” she queried.