Russia: He Knew Too Much? Putin’s Ex-Minister Found Dead After Sudden Dismissal | World News

New Delhi: Monday, July 7, started in Moscow like others. But at the end of the day, Roman Starovoid, once a man who was once a trustworthy man’s borders, was found inanimate next to a bush, just a few steps of his parked car in Odintsovo, a suburban outside of the capital. Hours ago, Vladimir Putin had removed him from the office without a statement. He was the Minister of Transportation of Russia.

The news of his mysterious death came in layers. First, the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry stood in front of the Peskov press. A question emerged – Putin lost his confidence in Starovoid to address the events in Kursk? Peskov said no. “If there was a loss of trust,” he replied, “The decree would say that”.

Then silence came.

In the evening, Russia’s investigation committee made a statement. They confirmed that Starovoit was no longer. They said an investigation started. There is no reason for death. The suspects are not mentioned. Only the usual expression – we are looking at it.

According to Forbes Russia, Starovoit may have died on Saturday, July 5 or at the beginning of Sunday, July 6. His body was only discovered on Monday.

Andrei Kartapolov, President of the State Duma Defense Committee, told RTVI that Starovoit has died for a while before knowing the public.

The cameras soon caught researchers along the Odintsovo parking lot. The images showed men on gloves and masks. Video footage from the stage began to wander the telegram.

In May 2024, the novel Starovoit became the Minister of Transportation less than a year ago. Before that, he was the governor of Kursk, a region that limits Ukraine. It was replaced by Alexey Smirnov, who had previously assumed the best administrative task in the region. But now, the two men were connected in a different way with a corruption case.

According to RBC TV and Kommersant Daily, Smirnov may have witnessed Starovoid. The investigation reportedly revolved around irregularities in the construction of defense structures close to the Ukrainian border. Large amounts of federal money were allocated. Some may have lost.

In Russian political circles, this model sounds familiar. Drill a man. Use it to create a case against the next one. Smirnov was reportedly detained before. After that, the whispers started. People close to the case implied that Starovoit has been under stress for months.

His past was firmly tied to the Russian state. He was born in Kursk in 1972, and then with his family. He moved to St. Petersburg. This place began to climb the political ladder. During his term of office of Valentina Matvienko, he became a reliable member of the team during his term of office.

He worked on automobile facility projects, then joined the Federal Government’s Industrial and Infrastructure Department, led by infrastructure and later Putin himself. Sochi participated in preparations for the Olympics. In 2012, he became the president of Russia’s Federal Highway Agency Rosavtodor. In 2018, he was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Transport.

Until October in the same year, Starovoit stepped into the role of Kursk Governor actor. His rise was stable, calculated and always in Putin’s orbit.

Now, the fall of the old Soviet ghosts.

Experienced Russian journalist Sergey Goreshko attracted a creepy parallel. During the reign of Brazhnev, Soviet Interior Minister remembered the fate of Nikolai Shchelokov. After his dismissal, Shchelokov was warned about criminal charges. On the same day, he was removed from all ranks and took his own life.

In Starovoit’s case, researchers surrounded the budget of the Kursk government for 2022 and 2023. Great funds were approved, but irregularities were reported. He signed most of these documents.

His sources say that the last three months are full of fear – concern and fear of arrest and betrayal. This fear can be strengthened after Smirnov’s detention.

In today’s Russia, it is common for the arrested authorities to influence their former bosses. Those who do not have strong protection try to escape before a stroke comes. Some are successful. Mikhail Yurevich and Boris Dubrovsky, two former governors of Chelyabinsk, left the country before the charges touched them.

Starovoit remained. He didn’t run. He didn’t talk. And then disappeared.

There is no official reason for his death. No autopsy report was explained to the public. But something for sure. Another loyalty disappeared. And this time, even the silence of the Kremlin is volumes.