Roman Vladimirovich Starovoyt (; 20 January 1972 – 7 July 2025) was a Russian politician who served as
Minister of Transport
A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government a ...
from May 2024 to July 2025. He had previously served as
Governor
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
of
Kursk Oblast
Kursk Oblast (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Kursk. As of the 2021 Russian census, 2021 census, Kursk Oblast had a pop ...
Federal Road Agency
The Federal Road Agency (; also known as Rosavtodor; ) is the Russian government agency responsible for overseeing the road transport industry and transport engineering in Russia.
Federal Road Agency is a state body responsible for initiating of ...
in that ministry. He was a member of the
United Russia
The All-Russian Political Party United Russia (, ) is the Ruling party, ruling List of political parties in Russia, political party of Russia. As the largest party in the Russian Federation, it holds 325 (or 72.22%) of the 450 seats in the St ...
party.
Starovoyt was dismissed from his position as transport minister on 7 July 2025, and was found dead from a
gunshot wound
A gunshot wound (GSW) is a penetrating injury caused by a projectile (e.g. a bullet) shot from a gun (typically a firearm). Damage may include bleeding, bone fractures, organ damage, wound infection, and loss of the ability to move part of ...
in his car a few hours later.
Early life, education and qualifications
Starovoyt was born on 20 January 1972 in the
Soviet
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
city of
Kursk
Kursk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur (Kursk Oblast), Kur, Tuskar, and Seym (river), Seym rivers. It has a population of
Kursk ...
. His father, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Starovoyt, worked at the
Kursk Nuclear Power Plant
The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (Kurskaya atomnaya electrostansaya in Russian) is one of the three biggest nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Russia and one of the four biggest electricity producers in the country. It is located on the bank of the S ...
. In 1974, his father was transferred to the Leningrad NPP, in the city of
Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Oblast
Sosnovy Bor (, lit. ''pine forest'') is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Koporye Bay of the Gulf of Finland, west of St. Petersburg. The town of Sosnovy Bor is surrounded by Lomonosovsky District. Population:
Histor ...
, where Roman spent his childhood.
In 1995, Starovoyt graduated from the D. F. Ustinov
Baltic State Technical University
Baltic State Technical University "Voenmeh" D.F. Ustinov (; abbreviated BGTU) is a Russian technical university situated in Saint Petersburg. Previously it was known as the Leningrad Mechanical Institute () and Military Mechanical Institute ().
...
, majoring in “Pulse heat engines”.
In 2008, he graduated from the North-West Academy of Public Administration with a degree in State and Municipal Administration.
In 2012, at the
Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
The Vladimir Kikot Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia () is a higher institution under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia), Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation located in ...
, he defended his dissertation for the degree of candidate of pedagogical sciences on the topic "Innovative methodology for training athletes in winter polyathlon".
In 2019, he graduated from the program for the development of the personnel management reserve of the Higher School of Public Administration (ВШГУ) of the
RANEPA
The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) is a federal state-funded institution of higher education located in Moscow, Russia.
With the merger of Academy of National Economy (ANE), Russian Academy ...
.
Starovoyt held the federal state civilian service rank of
1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation
70px, Shoulder's rank
1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation () is the highest federal state civilian service rank of Russia.
The rank of the 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation was first introduced ...
.
Career
In 1995, Starovoyt was the executive director of JSC Regional Investment Agency. In 1995–2001, he was General Director of the asset management company NPF Promyshlenny. In 2002–2005, he was the owner and CEO of the construction company Stroyinvest.Биография Романа Старовойта //
РИА Новости
RIA Novosti (), sometimes referred to as RIAN () or RIA (), is a Russian state-owned domestic news agency. On 9 December 2013, by a decree of Vladimir Putin, it was liquidated and its assets and workforce were transferred to the newly created ...
From 2005 to 2007, he held the position of Head of the Investor Relations Department of the St. Petersburg Government Investment and Strategic Projects Committee. In 2007–2010, Starovoyt was First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Investments and Strategic Projects of the Government of St. Petersburg. From 2010 to 2012, he was deputy director of the Department of Industry and Infrastructure of the Office of the Government of the Russian Federation.
From 22 November 2012, he was the head of the
Federal Road Agency
The Federal Road Agency (; also known as Rosavtodor; ) is the Russian government agency responsible for overseeing the road transport industry and transport engineering in Russia.
Federal Road Agency is a state body responsible for initiating of ...
(Rosavtodor).
On 1 October 2018, Starovoyt was appointed Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation.
On 11 October 2018, after the resignation of Alexander Mikhailov, he was appointed interim governor of Kursk Oblast.
On 8 September 2019, at the 2019 Unified Voting Day, he won with a result of 81.07% in the first round of elections of the Governor of
Kursk Oblast
Kursk Oblast (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Kursk. As of the 2021 Russian census, 2021 census, Kursk Oblast had a pop ...
. His term of office ended in 2024.
In May 2024, he was appointed by President
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
as
Minister of Transport
A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government a ...
of Russia.
Death
On 7 July 2025, Starovoyt was dismissed by President Putin. A few hours after his resignation, Starovoyt was found dead with a
gunshot wound
A gunshot wound (GSW) is a penetrating injury caused by a projectile (e.g. a bullet) shot from a gun (typically a firearm). Damage may include bleeding, bone fractures, organ damage, wound infection, and loss of the ability to move part of ...
in , near the village of ,
Odintsovo
Odintsovo ( rus, Одинцово, , ɐdʲɪnˈtsovə) is a city and the administrative center of Odintsovsky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia. Western suburb of Moscow. Population:
History
The village of Odintsovo was established in the la ...
District,
Moscow Oblast
Moscow Oblast (, , informally known as , ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). With a population of 8,524,665 (Russian Census (2021), 2021 Census) living in an area of , it is one of the most densely populate ...
. According to Russian news outlets, Starovoyt may have committed suicide due to the threat of a criminal case of large-scale fraud being opened against him after Alexei Smirnov, his successor as
governor
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
of
Kursk Oblast
Kursk Oblast (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Kursk. As of the 2021 Russian census, 2021 census, Kursk Oblast had a pop ...
, who was fired in December 2024 and arrested in April 2025, allegedly testified against him. It is reported that Starovoyt shot himself with an award pistol given to him by the
Ministry of Internal Affairs
An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement.
In some states, the i ...
. The same day, one of his underlings, Andrey Korneichuk, was also found dead, with the government stating his cause of death was due to "acute heart failure."
A memorial service was held for Starovoyt in Moscow on 10 July that was attended by several government ministers. The office of President Putin, who did not attend the ceremony, sent a wreath. Starovoyt was buried at the
Smolensky Cemetery
Smolensky Cemetery () is the oldest continuously operating cemetery in Saint Petersburg, Russia.Nina Khrushcheva compared the death to something seen out of one of Stalin's purges.
Family
Starovoyt married a woman from Kursk 28 years his junior. After his death, owing to the investigation of corruption, she was forced for a time to live in a hotel while the inquisitors had control of his estate.
Transneft
Joint Stock Company Transneft () is a state-controlled pipeline transport company headquartered in Moscow, Russia. It is the largest oil pipeline company in the world. The company is operating over of trunk pipelines and transports about 80% ...
who died three days prior under suspicious circumstances
*
Suspicious Russia-related deaths since 2022
Since the beginning of 2022, numerous Russia-related people, particularly businessmen and officials, have died under what some sources suggest were suspicious circumstances. Incidents include individuals who have suspiciously fallen out of w ...