abstract:Afanasyev (masculine; Афанасьев) or Afanasyeva (feminine; Афанасьева) is a Russian last name. It is etymologically connected to the name Afanasy, which in Greek origin meant "immortal".
The hatches were later opened and Russian commander Viktor Afanasyev, Frenchman Jean-Pierre Haignere and Slovak Ivan Bella joined two Russians, Gennady Padalka and Sergei Avdeyev, who were already on the station.