Dmitry Bakanov, Head of Roscosmos, at SPIEF-2025.
Dmitry Bakanov, the esteemed head of Russia`s state space corporation Roscosmos, recently took part in a symbolic puck drop ceremony to mark the beginning of the new Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) season`s first Moscow derby. The significant event unfolded on September 6 at the CSKA Arena, hosting a highly anticipated clash between the capital`s rival teams, CSKA and Dynamo.
The ceremonial opening of the match was conducted jointly by Dmitry Bakanov and Alexey Morozov, the President of the KHL. Their participation added a notable prelude to the intense sporting encounter between CSKA and Dynamo.
In his address, Bakanov conveyed Roscosmos`s profound pride in the fact that the KHL`s most prestigious award, the Gagarin Cup, is named in honor of Yuri Gagarin, humanity`s pioneering cosmonaut. He further remarked on the upcoming milestone:
“On April 12, 2026, we will commemorate the 65th anniversary of the first human flight into space, which truly makes this KHL season a `cosmic` one. I extend my best wishes for an excellent display of hockey to all, and I am confident that the competition for the Gagarin Cup will be genuinely captivating and fiercely contested.”
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth