Putin fires Russian transport minister
Starovoit has long worked in Russia's road infrastructure sector. From 2012 to 2018, he led the Federal Road Agency, Rosavtodor, later becoming deputy minister of transport before being appointed transport minister in May 2024.
He previously served as governor of Kursk Region – from 2018 to 2019 as acting governor, and from 2019 to May 2024 as elected governor after winning 81% of the vote.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, the border region has been plagued by corruption scandals. Widespread theft of budget funds has been uncovered, particularly in projects related to defense construction. Over 20 individuals have been detained, including Starovoit's former deputy, Aleksey Dedov, and his gubernatorial successor, Aleksey Smirnov, who led the region from May to December 2024. It remains unclear whether the scandal is linked to Starovoit's dismissal.
Amid the conflict, Starovoit was sanctioned by the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ukraine. He has been awarded the Order of Honor, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and the Order of Friendship, and holds the rank of 1st class Active State Councillor, equivalent to the military rank of Army General in civil service.
Starovoit has been replaced by his former deputy, Andrey Nikitin, as acting minister.
Nikitin, the former governor of Novgorod Region, was appointed deputy transport minister in February 2025. At the ministry, he oversaw digital transformation, informatization, and automation of the national transport system. Before taking office in Novgorod in 2017, he served as CEO of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives.
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