Leonid Kadeniuk at the celebration of the NGO "Suzirya"

Celebration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the public youth organization Suzirya at the Artek camp. The organization is part of the national presidential educational program for students and pupils. Its goal is to develop interest in the space and rocketry industry among Ukrainian youth.

President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma and the first Ukrainian cosmonaut Leonid Kadenyuk attended the celebration.

Leonid Kadeniuk has dreamed of going into space since he was a child. He was born on January 28, 1951, in the village of Klishkivtsi, Chernivtsi region, to a family of teachers who saw his future in the medical field. He fulfilled his childhood dream on November 19, 1997, aboard the American space shuttle Columbia on the STS-87 mission.

The Ukrainian astronaut took the Kobzar singer with him on board, thanks to which the Ukrainian anthem was performed in space and the blue and yellow flag was raised.

Leonid Kadeniuk died on January 31, 2018, of a heart attack. He was buried at the Baikove Cemetery.