Mysterious Death of Sacked Russian Minister Raises Alarms Over Kremlin’s Grip on Power

Mysterious Death of Sacked Russian Minister Raises Alarms Over Kremlin’s Grip on Power

Starovoit’s death, so closely following his dismissal, underscores a stark reality in regimes where power is absolute: loyalty is non-negotiable, and dissent can be deadly.

By RMN News Service Political Desk
July 9, 2025

The abrupt death of Roman Starovoit, Russia’s recently ousted transport minister, has sent ripples of unease through the nation’s political circles, spotlighting the dangers faced by those who lose favor with the Kremlin. 

On July 7, 2025, President Vladimir Putin dismissed Starovoit from his post. Hours later, the former minister was found dead in a Moscow park, a single gunshot wound to his head and a pistol nearby, prompting authorities to swiftly label it a suicide, according to a BBC report on July 8.

The rapid conclusion of suicide has sparked widespread skepticism, evoking memories of a grim pattern of suspicious deaths tied to Kremlin critics. This incident draws chilling parallels to the 2020 poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who survived an attack with a nerve agent only to die in prison under unclear circumstances in 2024. Other notable cases include the 2015 assassination of Boris Nemtsov near the Kremlin, the 2018 Novichok poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in the UK, and the 2006 murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya in Moscow.

This pattern of eliminating dissenters is not unique to Russia. Globally, authoritarian regimes have been linked to similar acts: the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, the 2017 assassination of Kim Jong-nam in Malaysia, the 2007 killing of Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto, and the 1961 execution of Congo’s Patrice Lumumba. 

In India, the unresolved 2003 murder of politician Haren Pandya and the mysterious 2014 death of Judge B.H. Loya have fueled suspicions of political foul play.

Starovoit’s death, so closely following his dismissal, underscores a stark reality in regimes where power is absolute: loyalty is non-negotiable, and dissent can be deadly. As questions swirl around this latest tragedy, it serves as a grim reminder of the high stakes for those navigating the treacherous waters of authoritarian politics.