Dmitry Bakanov, the head of Russia`s state space corporation «Roscosmos,» took part in a symbolic puck drop ceremony at the inaugural Moscow derby of the new Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) season. This significant event, as announced by the state corporation, unfolded on September 6, 2025, at the CSKA Arena in Moscow. On that day, the capital`s prominent hockey teams, CSKA and Dynamo, squared off on the ice.
The ceremonial opening of the match was jointly performed by Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Bakanov and KHL President Alexei Morozov. Together, they executed the initial puck drop, officially signaling the start of the highly anticipated game between CSKA and Dynamo.
Bakanov expressed Roscosmos`s profound pride that the KHL`s most coveted trophy is named in honor of Yuri Gagarin, the planet`s first cosmonaut. He further remarked, «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 wish everyone exhilarating hockey and am confident that the battle for the Gagarin Cup will be genuinely captivating and fiercely contested.»
