ISS Commander
Crew Commander of the Soyuz TM Spacecraft
Colonel of the Russian Federation Air Force
Test Cosmonaut-Instructor of Yu. A. Gagarin
Cosmonaut Training Center, Russia

DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: February 6, 1961, Riasnoe, Zolochevsk district, Kharkov area, USSR (the Ukraine). 
Father: Ivan Petrovich Onufrienko (1923-1998). 
Mother: Elena Fedorovna Onufrienko (Gres') (1925-1981).

EDUCATION: In 1982 he graduated from Eisk Higher Military Pilot School after V.M.Komarov and got a diploma of pilot-engineer. In 1994 after training at the International Center of Training Systems he got a qualification of engineer-ecologist and a degree of Master of ecological management.

FAMILY STATUS: Married.
Wife: Valentina Mikhailovna Onufrienko (Riabovol), born in 1962.
Sons: Yuri, born in 1982 and Aleksandr, born in 1990.
Daughter: Elena, born in 1988.

AWARDS AND RANKS: 
Hero of the Russian Federation, Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation.
He is decorated with Gold Star Medal of the Hero of the Russian Federation, Medals of the Russain Federation, NASA Space Flight and Public Service Medals. He is a holder of a Legion of Honour (1997, France).

HOBBY: Skis, chess, fishing, photography. 

WORK EXPERIENCE: 
In 1982-1989 he served as a pilot, master pilot in Air Force units of Far-Eastern military region.
In 1989 he was enlisted in the cosmonaut detachment.
From July 1989 to January 1991 he passed a course of general space training at Yu. A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
On February 1, 1991 a qualification of a test cosmonaut was conferred on him by decision of the Interdepartmental Qualification Committee.
In 1991-1994 he passed training in the group under the program of flights to the Mir Station.
From May 1994 to February 1995 he passed training as the 3-rd (backup) crew commander under PC-18 program on the Mir Station.
From February to May 1995 he passed training as the backup crew commander under PC-19 program on the Mir Station.
In 1995 he was a backup of commander A.Ya.Soloviev launched by the U.S. Atlantis Shuttle for PC-19.
In June 1995 - January 1996 be passed training as the prime crew commander of the Soyuz TM-23 spacecraft for flight under PC-21/NASA-2 program on the Mir Station together with Yu.Usachev and Sh. Lucid (USA).
From February 21 to September 2, 1996 he performed the first space flight as the commander of the Soyuz TM-23 spacecraft and Mir Orbital Complex under PC-21 program together with Yu.Usachev, under NASA-2 program with Sh. Lucid (USA) and under the CASSIOPEIA program together with V. Korzun, A. Kaleri and C.Andre-Deshaus (France) and also under PC-20 program (Yu. Gidzenko, S. Avdeev and T. Reighter?) during the crew handover. During the flight he made six egresses into open space; the total duration of these egresses was 30 hr. 31 min.
On Yuly 28, 1997 his appointment as commander of the 3-rd prime crew of the ISS and backup of the 1-st expedition commander together with M. Tyurin was confirmed by decision of the Interdepartmental Qualification Committee.
On October 20, 1997 due to reforming of the ISS crews he was appointed as backup of the 2-nd expedition commander aboard the ISS and the 4-th prime crew commander together with C. Walz and D. Bursch (USA).
From November 1997 he passed training for flight under ISS-2, -4 program together with C. Walz and D. Bursch.