Oleg Gazenko

Oleg Gazenko
Native name
Олег Георгиевич Газенко
Born12 December 1918
Nikolaevka village, North Caucasian Soviet Republic, Russian SFSR
Died17 November 2007 (age 88)
Moscow, Russian Federation
Allegiance Soviet Union
Years of service1941–1988
RankLieutenant-General
Battles / wars
Awards

Oleg Georgievich Gazenko (Russian: Олег Георгиевич Газенко; 12 December 1918 17 November 2007) was a Russian military officer in the former Soviet Air Force and a program manager in the Soviet space program.

He headed the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Moscow and was leading a Soviet mission to train animals in space. Gazenko selected and trained Laika, the dog who flew on the 1957 Sputnik 2 mission.