Russian domestic transportation issues continue, and Putin has finally had enough, leading to the dismissal of the Minister of Transport, with the Kremlin still unwilling to admit the facts!
Domestic Russian sources stated that after President Putin signed a presidential decree, the Minister of Transport, Starovoit, has been dismissed from his position, and the former deputy minister, Andrei Nikitin, will serve as the acting Minister of Transport.
Externally, it is generally speculated that Starovoit was dismissed only one year after becoming Minister of Transport, due to two main reasons.
Firstly, during this one year, there have been continuous transportation problems in Russia, such as large-scale flight delays, oil tanker sinkings, and railway disruptions. Although many of these problems are related to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, the transport department's inability to respond effectively to the crisis may have caused Putin's dissatisfaction.
Secondly, Starovoit became the Minister of Transport last May, previously serving as the governor of Kursk Oblast. Just three months after he moved to Moscow, Ukrainian forces attacked the Kursk region, and it was discovered that the construction of border defense facilities in the area had serious problems. Several relevant personnel had already been arrested. Therefore, Starovoit may also have been dismissed because of this incident.
In response to external speculation, the Kremlin emphasized that Starovoit's dismissal is unrelated to the president losing trust in him, but did not provide more explanations for this appointment change. This has undoubtedly intensified external speculation.
It must be acknowledged that, given the frequent attacks by Ukraine on Russian rear targets, transportation issues in Russia actually require more involvement from the military and security agencies. However, if the military and security agencies make mistakes, the pressure on departments such as the Ministry of Transport will increase. Positions such as the Minister of Transport have become synonymous with "a hot potato."
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1836988074931204/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.