Son of Ukraine's first cosmonaut Dmytro Kadeniuk found dead in Kyiv - media

This morning, the body of 41-year-old Dmytro Kadeniuk, son of Ukraine's first cosmonaut Leonid Kadeniuk, was found in an apartment on Lesi Ukrainky Square in Kyiv. His body was found by his mother, Vira Kadeniuk.

It was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing its own sources.

According to the sources, the deceased had numerous wounds on his body and a knife in his hand. No preliminary suicide note was found, and the nature of the injuries may indicate a possible struggle before death.

Police have opened a criminal investigation under Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (premeditated murder). The circumstances of the tragedy are currently under investigation.

The police confirmed that today around 8:00  a.m. they received a report about the discovery of the body of a 41-year-old Kyiv resident with signs of violent death in an apartment of a high-rise building. Investigators arrived at the scene. Law enforcers are establishing all the circumstances of the tragedy and deciding on the legal classification of the incident.

The name of the deceased has not been disclosed.

Who is Leonid Kadeniuk?

Leonid Kadeniuk is the first cosmonaut of independent Ukraine, test pilot, Major General of Aviation, Doctor of Biological Sciences. In 1997, he became the first citizen of independent Ukraine to fly into space on the American spacecraft Space Shuttle Columbia. During the flight, he conducted scientific experiments in biology and physics in zero gravity.

Leonid Kadeniuk is widely known as a symbol of Ukrainian cosmonautics and an active popularizer of science. After completing his flight career, he worked in the field of education and science, training future Ukrainian specialists in the space industry.