Suicide with Putin's Gifted Pistol? Russian Transport Minister's Suspicious Death [AK Radio]

Found Dead in Car Right After Dismissal
Linked to Putin's Closest Ally... Suspicions of Homicide

Roman Starovoit, Russia's Minister of Transport, was found dead in his car on July 7 (local time), just hours after being notified of his dismissal by President Vladimir Putin, sending shockwaves through the Russian political establishment. At the scene, a pistol previously awarded to him by President Putin for his past service was found, and authorities concluded that he had died by suicide. However, both inside and outside Russia, there are growing voices raising the possibility of homicide.

The suspicions have only intensified as Russian media responded unusually, reporting the death of a sitting minister with only a 40-second news brief and avoiding any detailed explanation regarding the reason for his dismissal or the circumstances of his death.

Starovoit, the minister at the center of this mysterious death, was originally from Kursk Oblast, Russia, and his father worked at a local nuclear power plant. After graduating from university, he served as CEO of an asset management company and a construction firm before joining the Ministry of Transport as a civil servant. In 2019, he ran for and was elected governor of Kursk Oblast. After completing his term as governor in 2024, he was appointed Minister of Transport in the cabinet.

Kursk Oblast, where he served as governor, was the Russian territory temporarily occupied by Ukrainian forces during Ukraine's counteroffensive in the summer of the previous year. It was the first time since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine that Russian territory had been occupied, and President Putin was reportedly so furious that he personally visited the site to reprimand officials and military personnel. Fortunately, Starovoit had already been appointed Minister of Transport three months before the Ukrainian incursion, allowing him to avoid punishment at the time.

The issue began after Russia recaptured Kursk Oblast and launched a large-scale audit. The Russian government had invested significant funds to defend Kursk Oblast before the Ukrainian attack, but the audit revealed that the defensive facilities were outdated and poorly maintained. As a result, suspicions of embezzlement of defense funds emerged, placing Starovoit and his associates under investigation.

Roman Starovoit, Russian Minister of Transport, found dead in his vehicle on the 7th (local time). Photo by EPA Yonhap News

The governor of Kursk Oblast who succeeded him has already been arrested and is in custody, and Starovoit himself was under investigation by prosecutors and was about to be summoned. Russian authorities announced that he committed suicide, unable to withstand the psychological pressure of the situation. However, as no decisive evidence of embezzlement had yet emerged and he was reportedly preparing an active defense, suspicions of homicide are spreading further.

Some analysts suggest that the immediate cause of his dismissal may have been the recent paralysis of Russia's aviation network due to the threat of Ukrainian drones. From July 5 to July 7, 485 Russian flights were canceled and more than 1,900 were delayed, with airlines suffering losses of over 300 billion won. However, as this was essentially a military issue under the responsibility of the Air Defense Command, and no military officials were punished, many see this as a superficial reason.

Instead, there are growing suspicions both inside and outside Russia that the death of Starovoit may be connected to Arkady Rotenberg, a powerful Russian politician who helped him become Minister of Transport. Rotenberg is a childhood friend of President Putin, an oil tycoon, and one of Putin's closest associates responsible for managing his personal assets.

While Rotenberg served as Minister of Transport, Starovoit was the deputy minister and formed a close relationship with him. It is said that Starovoit was later appointed Minister of Transport on Rotenberg's recommendation. For this reason, there were concerns that if Starovoit testified to prosecutors about the embezzlement of defense funds in Kursk Oblast, Rotenberg could be implicated, and even President Putin could be linked to bribery allegations. Given these circumstances, suspicions persist that Starovoit may have been eliminated rather than having died by suicide.

Furthermore, more than 50 high-ranking officials have died under mysterious circumstances in Russia since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, creating an atmosphere of fear in the political sphere. Especially after the 2023 military rebellion led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, many high-ranking officials have been purged, causing significant contraction in the public sector. If it is revealed that Starovoit was indeed murdered, this case could set a precedent that anyone can be eliminated, regardless of their connections. There are even concerns that this could signal a revival of the mass purges and politics of fear reminiscent of the Stalin era in the former Soviet Union.

The body of Roman Starovoit, Russian Minister of Transport, who was found dead in his parked car on the outskirts of Moscow on the 7th (local time), is being moved by investigators. Photo by TASS Yonhap News

On the other hand, Starovoit was a symbolic figure of President Putin's talent recruitment policy, which aimed to elevate regional officials from underdeveloped areas to the central government if they demonstrated ability. His career path was extremely rare, as he transitioned from a private businessman to a civil servant, then to a local government head, and finally to a cabinet minister. However, with even such a figure dying under suspicious circumstances, local officials are now feeling increasingly anxious. As President Putin seeks to establish a lifelong rule after securing a fifth term, maintaining balance with the regions is crucial, and there are growing concerns that this very framework may now be at risk.

Russian state media handled the sudden dismissal and death of a sitting minister with only a 40-second news brief. At a Kremlin briefing, only a short statement was issued, saying, "The dismissal was not due to a lack of trust in the minister," with no further details or additional announcements regarding the investigation.

This silence from the authorities is fueling suspicions that they are trying to bury the incident. In Russia, there is even speculation that Starovoit possessed important information, and that if it were leaked, it could endanger the high-ranking bureaucracy, leading to a contract killing.

Whether Starovoit's death was a suicide or homicide may only be revealed with time, but the various suspicions and rumors surrounding the case are already weighing heavily on the Putin regime. Some analysts warn that if the Russian elite come to see the Putin regime as dangerous, it could become a destabilizing factor for the government itself. As a result, it is expected that political turmoil in Russia will persist for some time.