Russian media reported that the dismissal of Starovoit may be associated with the investigation of the embezzlement of state funds allocated for the construction of a protective fort in the Kekapan area, where he previously served as the governor before he became the Minister of Transport.
The alleged embezzlement was advertised as one of the reasons for the weaknesses of the Russian defense line that could not withstand the sudden attack of Ukraine in the region in August 2024. In a shocking attack, Ukrainian mechanical units that were trained in battle quickly won the Russian border border border guards, which were armed only with a light and inexperienced military service. Hundreds of people were arrested.
The invasion was a shameful blow to the Kremlin – for the first time, when Russian territory was occupied by foreign parties since the Second World War.
The Russian military announced that its troops completely abolished the border region in April – almost nine months after the loss of part of the region.
Replacing Starovoit as the Governor of the course, Alexei Smirnov, resigned in December and was arrested on charges of embezzlement in April. Some Russian media suspects that Starovoit can also take requirements in the framework of the investigation.
The dismissal of Starovoit occurred after chaotic weekend in the world, when Russian airports were forced to cancel hundreds of flights from attacks Drone Ukraine. Nevertheless, most observers say that air traffic disorders became a common occurrence among a frequent attack on Ukrainian drones, and it is unlikely that this is the reason for his dismissal.
According to the Russian media report, shortly after Putin was published regarding the dismissal of Starovoit, it was reported that Andrei Kornihuk, a representative of the State Railway Agency under his ministry, collapsed and died during a business meeting. They mentioned that he died of a heart attack.
