Russia has been shaken by the news of the suicide of Roman Starovoyt, the country’s former Minister of Transport and the former governor of Kursk Oblast.

Starovoyt, who had been rumored for dismissal in recent months, was found dead from a gunshot wound inside his vehicle in Odintsovo, Moscow Oblast, on July 7. The incident became public shortly after the Russian President announced a decision on personnel changes.

Suicide the focus of the investigation

Svetlana Petrenko, a spokesperson for the Investigative Committee, told the press that the circumstances surrounding Starovoyt’s death are under investigation.

“The main scenario is suicide,” Petrenko noted, confirming the primary direction of the inquiry. Teams from the Moscow Oblast Investigative Committee have reportedly begun their work at the scene.

However, sources suggest that Starovoyt’s suicide may not be linked to his dismissal from the ministerial post he held for just over a year, but rather to a potential criminal case against him. This claim was voiced by a source with knowledge of the case as well as another source close to the regional government.

Allegations of a corruption case

According to the allegations, Alexei Smirnov—who served as Starovoyt’s first deputy during his governorship of Kursk and later succeeded him—may have testified against Starovoyt in connection with his own criminal case.

Smirnov was arrested in Moscow in April on charges of fraud and abuse of office as part of an organized group. The case involves the embezzlement of over 1 billion rubles in public funds allocated to the Kursk Oblast Development Corporation for constructing fortifications along the Ukrainian border.

Investigators allege that the defendants managed an organized group and, in collaboration with the company’s management, stole money from the budget. An inspection in March determined that substandard concrete pyramids installed at the border resulted in damages amounting to 156 million rubles. The construction of these fortifications began in 2023.

In April, Starovoyt stated that he had not yet been questioned about the case involving his former deputy. “The investigation is ongoing,” he said. “No questions have come my way for now. If they do, we will provide our full support to the investigation.”

Andrei Nikitin appointed new minister

The decree for Starovoyt’s dismissal was published on the morning of July 7, though it did not specify a reason. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the decision was not made due to a “loss of confidence.”

On the same day, the President signed a decree appointing Andrei Nikitin as the acting Minister of Transport.

Nikitin, the former governor of Novgorod, had been appointed deputy minister in February. At the time, this move was seen as a “temporary demotion,” but it was rumored that Nikitin was brought to the ministry with the intention of a future promotion.

In a meeting with Putin, Nikitin explained that he was working on initiatives such as the digitalization of the transport sector, integrating the tickets of citizens receiving social assistance into an electronic system, and developing civilian unmanned aerial vehicles.

Nikitin’s career and goals

Andrei Nikitin, 45, was born in Moscow and is a graduate of the State University of Management. He held various positions in the business world starting in the early 2000s. In 2011, he was elected general director of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI). Nikitin became the Governor of Novgorod in 2017 and was re-elected for a second term in 2022. He left his governorship in February 2024 to become the Deputy Minister of Transport.

Putin added that he had offered Nikitin the chance to “take another step up the career ladder” and that Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin also appreciated his qualifications.

Mishustin is expected to submit Nikitin’s candidacy to the Duma for approval. Following meetings with committees and parliamentary groups, the candidate will be voted on in a plenary session. If approved, he will be formally appointed by the President.

An expected appointment

Sources had indicated a high probability that Starovoyt would be dismissed and replaced by Nikitin due to events in Kursk Oblast in 2024, although the timing of the change was uncertain. It is also noted that Putin has always maintained a very positive relationship with Nikitin, meeting with him frequently during his tenure as Governor of Novgorod.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing sources close to decision-making processes within the Chinese government, the recent conflict between Iran and Israel has heightened Beijing’s interest in Russia’s Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline project.

The report indicated that Beijing, increasingly concerned about the reliability of oil and natural gas supplies from the Middle East, is exploring alternative energy sources.

Approximately one-third of China’s imported natural gas is supplied as liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar. These shipments traverse the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that Iran has previously threatened to close. Furthermore, private Chinese refineries have reportedly become increasingly reliant on inexpensive Iranian oil in recent years.

According to analyst data, 90% of Iran’s oil exports are directed to China, despite US sanctions. Following the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, US President Donald Trump stated, “Now China can continue to buy oil from Iran. I hope they buy a lot from the US as well.”

Price: The biggest hurdle in negotiations

Mid-month, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak affirmed the ongoing relevance and importance of the Power of Siberia 2 project within the framework of energy cooperation with China, in a statement to Vedomosti daily.

Design work for the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline commenced in 2020. The pipeline is planned to have a total length of approximately 6,700 kilometers, with 2,700 kilometers of this route passing through Russian territory.

However, Financial Times reported that the gas price proposed by China for future contracts has not satisfied the Russian side. According to the report, Beijing aims to purchase gas at a price nearly equivalent to Russia’s domestic market cost.

In response to these claims, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that Beijing is prepared to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking at the Primakov Readings international forum, stated that the shifting approaches of Western leaders regarding Ukraine reflect the failure of their initial plans.

Lavrov noted that Moscow will wait for proposals from the West to mend relations, while emphasizing that it is still too early to make definitive comments on the permanence of the ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

The West’s slogans have evolved from ‘strategic defeat’ to unconditional ceasefire

Lavrov recalled that at the beginning of the military conflict, the West was “hysterically shouting” about the need to inflict a “strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield.”

He noted that this slogan eventually changed to phrases like “Russia must not win in Ukraine,” and summarized the current situation as follows:

“Now, they are demanding, requesting, and even begging for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire. This is the very thing that Volodymyr Zelenskyy categorically rejected a few years ago when he was living and working under the banner of a strategic defeat on the battlefield.”

The minister observed that the fiasco of the West’s strategy and tactics is evident, but “Europe is still trying.”

Europe seeks negotiations

In May, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that European countries wish to be represented in potential Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul, following a proposed 30-day ceasefire by Kyiv and its allies.

Barrot stated that if Moscow refuses to cease fire, they expect the US and the European Union to increase pressure on Russia and impose extensive sanctions.

In contrast, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly avoided new anti-Russian sanctions, explaining that he did not want to jeopardize peace talks he believed were close to an agreement.

On June 20, following comments from Senator Lindsey Graham during his visit to Ukraine about his intention to advance a bill imposing a 500% secondary tariff on Russian energy sources, Trump warned that such statements should be chosen more carefully.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on June 10 that there was no common ground for future agreements with Europe. Peskov attributed this to Europe being “focused on war for now” and showing no signs of seeking common ground with Russia.

‘Let them come with proposals when they realize their mistakes’

Lavrov also expressed that Russia expects proposals from Western countries to rebuild relations once the current “international arrogance” subsides.

Arguing that many countries have severed ties with Russia to the detriment of their own people, suffering enormous financial and reputational losses, Lavrov stated, “Let them come to us when they realize their mistakes and present their proposals, and we will decide based on our own interests.”

‘Too early to speak on the Iran-Israel ceasefire’

Addressing developments in the Middle East, Lavrov said it would be premature at this stage to draw final conclusions about the stability of the ceasefire reached between Iran and Israel.

Citing reports that the US persuaded Israel to agree to the ceasefire, with Qatar playing a similar role in negotiations with Tehran, Lavrov highlighted that news of rocket attacks from both sides continued to emerge after the ceasefire was declared.

“It is very difficult to form a complete picture of what is happening right now; the information is fragmented. We should not make hasty assessments,” Lavrov remarked.

The minister affirmed that Moscow supports any steps aimed at de-escalation and hopes for a long-term ceasefire, adding, “But we are for peace.”

On June 24, at 08:08 Turkish time, US President Donald Trump announced that the ceasefire between Iran and Israel had come into effect.

Before this announcement, Trump had stated that the parties had reached a “full agreement for a full ceasefire.” Iranian media also confirmed the ceasefire had taken effect.

However, at 10:58 Israel time, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Iran had violated the ceasefire agreement by launching two ballistic missiles.

Katz declared that he had instructed the Israeli army to “respond decisively to Iran’s ceasefire violation with intense strikes on regime targets in the heart of Tehran.”