Vladimir Putin visits remains of medieval Russian warrior prince uncovered in Kremlin cathedral

Russian President Vladimir Putin inspected the open sarcophagus of medieval warrior prince Dmitry Donskoy, whose remains were recently uncovered during restoration work at Moscow's Cathedral of the Archangel. The discovery of Donskoy's body in a crypt by the southern wall surprised historians, who had believed it was located elsewhere in the building. Putin lit a candle inside the cathedral and stood beside the sarcophagus as experts explained the identification.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Cathedral of the Archangel inside the Moscow Kremlin on Thursday to view the open sarcophagus of medieval Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy, whose remains were recently uncovered during restoration work. The discovery of Donskoy's body in a crypt by the southern wall surprised historians, who had believed his burial was located elsewhere in the building. The lid of the sarcophagus was found split into four parts, with the remains dusted with white stone chips and bits of mortar. Archaeologists from the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted the research using a specialized method without a full archaeological protocol, collecting textile remains and bone fragments for analysis while preserving the prince's remains as found. The Russian Orthodox Church announced the discovery on Tuesday, stating the well-preserved remains were nearly complete and belonged to a man of just under 180 cm who died of natural causes between ages 35 and 45, matching written sources. Putin lit a candle inside the cathedral and stood beside the sarcophagus as experts explained the identification. Donskoy, who died in 1389 aged 39, ruled the principalities of Muscovy and Vladimir, oversaw the construction of the first stone Kremlin fortress, and routed forces of the Mongol horde in the 1380 Battle of Kulikovo.