After one of the worst air travel meltdowns Russia has seen in recent years, President Vladimir Putin has taken decisive action—firing Transport Minister Roman Starovoit.
The move follows a wave of airport disruptions that left thousands of frustrated passengers stuck on terminal floors, their flights grounded and their bags unreachable.
And although the Kremlin hasn’t officially blamed him, the message is clear: someone had to take the fall.
From Kursk to Crisis: Starovoit’s Short-Lived Tenure
Starovoit had only been in the role for just over a year, having previously served as governor of the Kursk Region.
His time in office—419 days to be exact—coincided with growing pressure on Russia’s transportation systems, especially amid the country’s ongoing security and infrastructure challenges.
While the official presidential decree gave no reason for his dismissal, it’s hard not to connect the dots with the chaos that unfolded at the nation’s airports earlier this month.
Massive Disruption Across Russian Airports
The tipping point came on July 5 and 6, when drone threat alerts caused an air traffic nightmare across the country.
Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport saw a staggering 241 delays and 158 cancellations in just two days.
Over in Saint Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport, another 87 flights were scrapped. Airports in cities like Sochi, Kazan, Tomsk, and Nizhny Novgorod weren’t spared either.
In Saint Petersburg alone, more than 7,000 passengers were left stranded, many camping out on airport floors with no access to their luggage.
Across the country, nearly 2,000 flights were delayed and nearly 500 were canceled.
By July 7, the delays hadn’t stopped. Pulkovo Airport canceled 8 more flights and had over 100 still backed up.
Meet the New Minister in the Hot Seat
Following the shake-up, Putin met with Andrei Nikitin, the former governor of Novgorod Region, and promptly appointed him acting Minister of Transport.
Nikitin had stepped down from his gubernatorial role in June, reportedly in preparation for a move to the federal level—suggesting this transition may have been planned for a while.
Still, the timing—just days after the travel crisis—has sparked speculation that Starovoit’s exit wasn’t entirely voluntary.
Corruption Scandal Casts a Shadow
Making matters worse, the region Starovoit used to govern has its own troubles brewing.
His successor in Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, was recently arrested over allegations of embezzling a whopping one billion rubles in state funds.
The charges are linked to shady dealings in a contract to build facilities for the Federal Security Service.
Authorities claim the funds were diverted through the Kursk Region Development Corporation.
Smirnov’s pre-trial detention has already been extended by a Moscow court.
While Starovoit hasn’t been connected to the investigation, the optics are far from ideal.
With his former region now under scrutiny, his dismissal seems to be part of a broader effort to clean house—or at least calm the political waters.
A Ministry Under Pressure and Eyes on What’s Next
Starovoit’s departure reflects the growing tension in Russia’s transport ministry as it grapples with both security threats and infrastructure strain.
For the public, it’s another reminder of how quickly politics can shift—especially when the system breaks down in plain sight.
Now, all eyes turn to Nikitin to see if he can restore confidence and stability to a sector that’s literally grounded.